THE LIVING WORLD. 
549 
ing of^one animal which had had a handsbreadth of hide and flesh torn from 
him. His own horns consisted of one two feet in length, and a second which, 
though but three-quarters of a foot, was as sharp as the finest dagger. They 
are sometimes trapped by the natives whose device is quite ingenious. As the 
animal is very wary, a pit is dug in the path by which he returns to his rest- 
ing-place, and spikes, like the spokes of a wheel, are attached to a rope and 
placed therein—the other end of the rope is then made fast to a heavy log, 
and every precaution is taken 
in covering the pit-fall to give it 
the appearance of having pre¬ 
viously been walked over by 
the rhinoceros. If he does not 
suspect the device he steps 
upon the mere covering of 
earth, falls upon the spikes, 
which tangle him up in the 
rope, and though he escapes and 
drags the log some distance, he 
is easily followed and dispatched. 
His horn is no part of his skull, 
. and can be removed by cutting 
away the skin. It rests upon 
an arch, formed by the bones of the face, and thus protects the brain from 
concussion. This horn was formerly regarded as a discoverer of the presence 
of poison, and was therefore manufactured into drinking cups for the nobility. 
The fact that the rhinoceros seems, as a rule, not to attack when it has a fair 
view of its object, would seem to indicate that its apparently wanton fury 
towards logs and trees and other senseless things, arises from its imperfect 
vision and its distrust of novelties. The thickness of the skin makes it proof 
against insects, a protection much needed by a creature of its habits. 
Although R. simus is generally spoken of as the white rhinoceros, there is 
not much difference of color between it and R. bicornis. It is a huge ungainly 
beast, with a disproportionately large head, a large male standing six feet six 
inches at the shoulder. Like elephants and buffaloes they lie asleep during 
the heat of the day, and feed during the night and in the cool hours of early 
morning and evening. Their sight is very bad,- but they are quick of hearing 
and their scent is very keen; they are, too, often accompanied by rhinoceros birds 
(.Buphaga africana :), which, by running about their heads, flapping their wings 
and screeching at the same time, frequently give them notice' of the approach 
of danger, and are further of service in ridding them of parasites. When dis¬ 
turbed, they go off at a swift trot, easily distancing a man on foot, but they 
are no match for a good horse. 
The anterior horn of a full-grown animal is from eighteen inches to over 
four feet in length, a cow having a thinner and usually a longer horn than a 
bull. Occasionally they are curved backward, but generally straight and flat¬ 
tened by friction on the anterior surface. The posterior horn may vary from 
three or four inches to two feet, and there appears to be as much variation in 
relative length as in individuals, which fact has led to no little confusion in 
fixing the species definitely. 
