VIEWS OF THE RHINOCEROS.
The rhinoceros derives its name from two Greek words meaning
_nose-horned_. Like the elephant and the hippopotamus it belongs to the
thick-skinned animals. It ranks among the largest and most powerful of
the land animals. The elephant, however, we may consider its superior in
size and strength.
The form of the rhinoceros is clumsy and uncouth; while its appearance
is dull and heavy. It has thick strong limbs, with feet that are divided
into three toes covered with broad, horny nails resembling hoofs. The
tail is short, with a small tuft of hair at the end.
The ears are of moderate size, but the eyes are extremely small. The
head is large, with a somewhat lengthened muzzle; while the bones of the
nose are formed into an arch to give support to a kind of rudimentary
horn, which grows out from the skin. This horn is a very peculiar organ,
and can be used as a powerful weapon when needed, or it can be used to
root up bushes and small trees from which the animal wishes to eat the
foliage and fruit. Though solid, it is not of a bony substance, but
resembles in some ways the horny excrescences on the inner surface of a
horse's legs. It is, in reality, a mass of tubes around which the horny
substance is packed in circular layers one within the other. Sometimes a
second horn, also starting from the skin, grows above the first, and
rests for support upon the bones of the forehead. The upper lip of the
rhinoceros is somewhat prolonged, and also prehensile to no small
degree. By means of it the animal can pick up very small objects.
The whole body, the head, and the limbs are covered with a very thick,
hard skin. This skin has very little hair, showing, generally, mere
traces of it. A striking peculiarity of the skin is that its extreme
hardness does not permit the free movements of the animal. This lack of
pliancy in the skin is overcome in a measure by means of thick folds,
almost joints, in it, in the region of the neck, behind the shoulders,
in front of the thighs, and on the limbs.
The rhinoceros is not a very intelligent animal. It is usually harmless,
but can be easily provoked. It is then capable of showing a very
capricious temper. When irritated it becomes very dangerous; and though
usually very slow in moving, it can, when worked into a frenzy, run at a
rapid rate.
Its great weight and strength enable it to force a passage through
jungles and forests, and thus to break down all small trees that come in
its way.
Its hide is so tough that the animal has nothing to fear from the lion
or the leopard, and little to dread in man. It is only at a short
distance that the hunter can penetrate the hide with a leaden bullet,
and then only in some of the thinnest parts along the neck and chest.
Usually bullets of iron or tin are used to shoot the animal.
The rhinoceros, like the hippopotamus, is hunted for its flesh, which is
used as food by the natives, though it is not as highly prized as that
of the hippopotamus. The tough hide of the South African species is
sliced up into thongs, which the natives use in various ways.
The rhinoceros is found sometimes alone, sometimes in pairs, but never
in a herd. There are various species of the animal in Asia and India as
well as Africa. Let us confine our attention to the African species
alone. The _bovele_, or black rhinoceros of South Africa, is the
smallest of all known species. Its first horn is thick at the base and
not very long, while its second is quite short and conical. It is a very
fierce, dangerous animal. When hunted it is capable of such activity
that it is more to be dreaded than the lion.
The _keitloa_ is larger than the bovele, and has its two horns of nearly
the same length. The forward horn is curved backward, while the other is
curved forward. This species of rhinoceros is also a native of South
Africa. It is much dreaded on account of its great strength and
ferocity. The white rhinoceros is the largest of all the African
species. One of its horns attains the length of four feet.
The food of the black rhinoceros differs from that of the white. The
former species lives almost wholly upon roots, which it digs up with its
larger horn. Sometimes it eats the branches and the young sprouts of the
thorny acacia tree. The white rhinoceros lives almost wholly upon
grasses. Possibly this mild, succulent food gives it a nature resembling
more that of the ordinary grazing animals, for it falls an easy prey to
the invading Europeans. Even the flesh of the two species varies. That
of the black rhinoceros is thin and tough, and has a sharp bitter taste.
That of the white rhinoceros is juicy and of a good flavor, and is
counted a delicacy by the natives and by the settlers.
The rhinoceros has an extraordinary acuteness of smell and hearing. It
listens closely to the sounds of the desert, and can scent the approach
of man from a great distance. The size of its unwieldy horns often
impedes the range of its small, deep-set eyes, hence it can see only
what comes immediately before it. To compensate for its imperfect sight,
the rhinoceros is often accompanied by a bird. This bird seems as much
attached to it as the dog is to man. Its warning cry acquaints the beast
with the approach of danger. When the natives address a superior they
call him "My Rhinoceros." This is by way of compliment, and serves to
show that the inferior, like this bird, is ready to be of service.
The black rhinoceros has a gloomy, melancholy temper. It often falls
into a perfect frenzy of rage from no apparent cause. Yet, to see this
creature in its wild haunts, cropping its favorite leaves from the
bushes, or moving quietly along over the plains, one might think it one
of the most inoffensive and good-tempered animals of the whole continent
of Africa. When roused to anger, no more terrific sight can be imagined.
The very beasts of the wilderness tremble in fear of it. The lion
silently steals away out of its path; even the elephant is glad to
escape its notice.
[Illustration: RHINOCEROS CHARGING THE HUNTERS.]
The hippopotamus and the rhinoceros have been styled "gigantic hogs,"
and they well deserve the name. In South Africa, however, the hog proper
reaches a size and strength which we, familiar only with the sleepy,
indolent farm species, can hardly conceive.
Andersson, the explorer, says "Wild boars were rather numerous, and
afforded us excellent coursing. The speed of these animals is
surprisingly great. On open ground, when fairly afoot, I found the dogs
no match for them. They fight desperately, and I have seen wild boars
individually keep off most effectually half a dozen fierce assailants. I
have also seen them when hotly pursued, attack and severely wound their
pursuers."