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Show 1894.] WHITE RHINOCEROS IN MASHONALAND. 331 it is difficult to conjecture how this solitary horn got into Central Africa. The second instance is this : I hear that information from Lisbon has been received in London to the effect that the White Rhinoceros has been seen upon the borders of Angola, on the West Coast of Africa. N o w it is possible, I suppose, that continued persecution may have driven this animal from the north-eastern part of Mashonaland to the upper grounds-still absolutely undisturbed - o f the Zambesi; though it is extremely improbable that it would go so far as Angola. Besides, the White Rhinoceros is so entirely connected with the country south of the Zambesi that it is more than possible that the traveller w h o brought this information may have been mistaken. The main points of difference between the two African Rhinoceroses are the shape of the mouth and the manner of feeding. R. bicornis has a prehensile upper lip and a much smaller head altogether than R. simus ; he feeds entirely upon leaves and twigs and prefers a rough, bushy, inhospitable country ; he is wary and shy, quick to anger and exceedingly obstinate, inquisitive, and suspicious. R. simus has a disproportionately large head with a great jaw which is cut off quite square in front, and the great rubber-like lips are suited for the grass upon which he feeds entirely, though in the autumn and winter, when vast stretches of country have been burnt away, it is a puzzle how he manages to get enough nutriment to sustain his great bulk. H e carries his head very low, and has long ears slightly tipped with curly black hair; he is not so inquisitive or suspicious as his black brother, and is slightly more sluggish in his movements, though upon occasion he can cover the ground with unexpected speed. Another curious fact is that the calf of R. simus always runs in front of the cow, while tbe calf of R. bicornis invariably follows its mother : this habit never varies. Rhinoceroses drink every day-or rather every night, and as a rule do not go down to the water till after midnight. W h e n the sun gets very warm they generally enjoy a siesta, sometimes in the bush and sometimes out in the glaring, quivering heat; and though they will occasionally lie in thick bush they do not make a point of choosing the deepest shade. When fairly asleep they do not waken easily, and they may then be readily shot or photographed. I a m convinced, along with Mr. Selous, that the temper of the rhinoceros has been put down very generally as much worse than it really is. One strong proof of this is that a native hunter will seldom lose the opportunity of a shot at a rhinoceros, whereas he will very rarely take advantage of any chance he may get at a lion, elephant, or buffalo. W h e n rudely awakened from a comfortable doze by such a sudden shock as a 10-bore bullet most probably produces, it is not surprising that a rhinoceros should feel annoyed or that he should express such annoyance by a charge; but I cannot believe that the majority of the " vicious attacks " sustained- by their own account-by hunters were intended as such by the somewhat slow-witted animal. |
