Jump to content

The New Student's Reference Work/Rhinoceros

From Wikisource

See also Rhinoceros on Wikipedia, and the disclaimer.

1906209The New Student's Reference Work — Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros (rī́-nṓs′ḗ-rŏs), a thick-skinned animal with a horned snout, confined to tropical Africa and Asia. There are two species in Africa and three in Asia. The African species embrace a two-horned and a one-horned variety. The latter is the wide-mouthed rhinoceros, sometimes called white, although its skin is of a slaty color. It is the largest of the family, a full-grown male, according to Selous the celebrated hunter, standing six and one half feet high at the shoulders. The largest of the Asiatic species also has a single horn. It is ten feet long and five feet high at the shoulders. There are enormous folds in the skin which appear like huge plates of armor. Another form, inhabiting Sumatra, has two horns on the snout. The horn is a powerful weapon. Besides being used in attack, it is strong enough to root up small trees, which the animal sometimes does, for the sake of the fruit and foliage. They are shot with iron and tin bullets, as the hide is so tough that leaden bullets will not penetrate it.

INDIAN RHINOCEROS