RHINO CER OSES. 
483 
as already mentioned, sometimes considerably more were seen together. Although, 
as we have seen, there is some difference of opinion as to the temper and 
disposition of the other species, all sportsmen agree that Burchell’s rhinoceros was 
generally a harmless and inoffensive creature. Still, sometimes it would when 
wounded make a charge; and from the enormous size of the animal such a charge 
was a serious matter for those against whom it was directed. On one occasion 
Mr. Oswell caught sight of one of these rhinoceroses, and, putting spurs to his 
horse, soon came up alongside. He fired with good effect, but the animal, instead 
of attempting to escape, eyed its adversary for a moment, and then deliberately 
advancing, made a sudden rush at his horse, thrusting the long front horn 
completely through the animal’s body, so that the point of the weapon struck the 
rider’s leg through the flap of the saddle on the other side. Fortunately, Mr. 
Oswell was so little injured, that he was enabled to disengage himself from the 
body of his dead horse, and kill his formidable opponent. 
When shot through the heart or both lungs this rhinoceros, like the other 
species, Mr. Selous tells us, is quickly killed. If, however, the bullet penetrates but 
one lung, they will go on for miles, although blood may be streaming from their 
mouth and nose. Similarly, they will hold on their course, at first at a gallop and 
then at a trot, with a broken shoulder, for more than a mile ; but a broken hind-leg 
brings them immediately to a stop. The latter circumstance is somewhat at 
variance with Sir S. Baker’s account of hunting the common rhinoceros in the 
Sudan, referred to on p. 478. 
Burchell’s rhinoceros differed from the other African species in that during 
the autumn and winter months, that is to say from March till August, it accumu¬ 
lated an enormous quantity of fat; and at such times its flesh is stated to have 
been of excellent quality, somewhat resembling beef, but with a peculiar and 
characteristic flavour of its own. The favourite dish was the hump on the withers, 
which was cut out and cooked with the skin on in a hole in the ground. The 
flesh of the calf was excellent at any season, and has been compared to very 
tender veal. 
Hoimwood's Certain very remarkable front horns of a rhinoceros obtained 
Rhinoceros, from traders at Zanzibar, and doubtless belonging to an East African 
form, may possibly indicate a third species, which may be known as Hoimwood’s 
rhinoceros. These horns, one of which measures 42 inches, are characterised by 
their great length and slenderness, coupled with the small size of the base. It has 
been suggested that they are abnormal horns of the female of the common species, 
but it is quite probable that they belong to a totally different animal, which may 
be more nearly allied to Burchell’s rhinoceros. 
Extinct Rhinoceroses. 
In the course of the preceding paragraphs, some reference has been made to 
certain extinct species of rhinoceroses which approximate closely to some of the 
existing members of the group. Besides these, there are, however, a multitude of 
extinct speeies, which ranged not only over Europe and Asia, but likewise North 
America. It has, indeed, been suggested that America was the original home of 
