Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-29
THE RHINOCEROs.
His Hide, Horn, and Faithful Feath-
cred Friend That Accompanies HIM.

When the rhlnoceros Is at home-where
II IL probable he had much rather he
than dragged around the county in
gaudlly painted cart as one or the at
fractions Of a menagerie. or confined IN
some geological garden. where he Is pre-
vented from goring the small boy VINO
gazes at him as impudently as he pieases-
he lives In Asia or Africa. Perhapp II
would be more proper 10 say that ne
fights In those countries, for the greater
portion Of his long life IL made up o.
combats with his relatives or any ousr
animals who come In his way
In Africa there are four varieties. DIS
tinguished by the natives as tGilo"s'
The borele or black rhinoceros; the keit-
loa. or two-horned black. the moonoono'
or common white, and the kaoopa, OF
long-horned white rhinoceros. Inc nrsl
two are smaller but more herce IMAM
the white ones. and are quite az WliiiHe
TO hunt the sportsman as TO be hunted
The largest OF the Africans Is the long
horned white rhnOceros. which mas pee"
found Is feet inches in length, ana the
circumference Of its broad back ana low
hanging belly is very nearly the s@lie
number Of feet and Inches.
There are three species OF the Aslaue
rhinoceros. two of which have but ono
horn. while the third has two. Ihese
are much smaller than their brothe.S
from Africa, and their skin hangs III
folds. ,..,
MIR Greenwood says that the hunters
and writer's who have asserted thal
bullet will hardly pierce THIS anlnlol
hide are mistaken, and that flne pan
viii penetrate the loose. baggy GOVERNS
with little or no difficulty The pellel
that the hide was SO tough probably arose
from experiments made with that Whlch
has been toughened almost like horn o.
A process employed by the natives Who
make from II whip stocks and waking
canes. ..,
Mr.. Gordon Cumming. the ceieDrateu
hunter. I'm speaking of the largest Aiilcah
enecies saws: "It is about as large
around as it il long, while me DouV ssl'
60 low on It's legs that tall man a-tlp-
toe could see across it, back. Attached
10 it's hunt nose-not 10 the bone pnt
r,erelv set in the skin with network
~ muscles to hold it's a horn more OF
less curved. hard as steel, sharp anu
more than a yard long, ana lMine 'e'y
behfnd this is a little horn, equally andip
and nearly straight" His eyes are Ne4s
small and as useful to him 10y hlgnt a.
by day His ears are long, polnleu' 49,
timed with a few bristles. when, Wiz.
i "A M
| the semblance OF hair he possesses.
The length Of the horn varies IN the
different species, the main horn OF the
kaboba exceeding four feet, Wnle ina
| NJ the rnoohooho Is seldom over TWO le's
In All cases among the double-horned am
mails the rear one-that is TO say. the one
nearest the forehead-is always short not
| often more than six inches.
There are many singular superstltiohs
REGARDING the horn OF the rhlhocetoS'
which is not as valuable for It's IVORY
as that from the elephant. RhihoeeIos-
| horn shavings are supposed by many peo-
ple 10 cure certain diseases. ana IL Il oe-
iteved If poison be poured into cup mace
of the horn il will burst il. A German
writer SAYS: This horn will not endure
the touch of poison; | have often peeh
| a witness of this. Many people OF FASHION
al the Cape have cups turned out OF inc
rhinoceros horn: some have them set an
silver. and some gold. Ii wine is poured
INTO one of these cups ii Immediately
rises and bubbles up as though IL were
boiling. and If there is poison IN II 'hs
cum Immediately splits. II poison Is put
bv itself into one Of these cups IL III an
instant flies TO pieces Inc chIps hi@ue
In turning one OF these cups are ever
carefully saved and returned 10 the owner
OF the cup, being esteemed OF great pene-
tit in Commissions, Ialh'lHs1' ""
| other complaints" 4.-
70 whether the horn Of the rhinoceros
10 snch a test for poison the reader may
safelv doubt. but IL can make but Mite
adherence since it is hardly probable ne
cares either for the wine or the poison
md has no need OF such sensitiNedrlhh'
| ing-cup. .., 4. Al,
Clumsy-Iooking as the great brute IS M
co-lon cumming SAYS "a horse ana fidet
| can rarely manage 20 overtake IL. An
o,ber famous African hunter writes: ne
- NOT often pursued on horseback ahc
chiefly because his speed and endurance
9re such that it il very difficult to come
nm with him. TO say nothing OF the danger
attendant upon such course.
one Of the most singular OF attendants y
that which the rhinoceros has. IL Is
'i,.,o Ma called by ornithologists BUD
| booo Africana. ana is known TO hunters
as the rhinoceros bird. This little reno"
| lines 70 the animals hide by means OF
| its long claws and elastic tan, leeulhs Vi'
| the insects that infest the leatnery SKIN.
| In doing this il renders great service "
tho huge brute. but a trifiing one as com
| pared TO its other duty. II acts as sem
mel TO warn its movable tee0lhs piace =.
arnro,chine danger. While II Is eating II
/ * on the dltiAf diiA ~ 80
| of the hunter it flies in the ar utteliLe
| its warning note. which Is ever auIehls
| needed the rhinoceros starting on a.
| once IN the direction taken by us watch
full friend. Mr.. Cummings states ina
,r0eu The rhinOcerOs IS asleep, ana the
/ bird hearing the approach OF the huii'.r T.
! fails 20 awaken him by its voice, IL VIII
arouse him by picking the inside OIL MS
| ear. 49,. ,,,oi,nad
| Some species Of rhinoceros are inclined
| ~ peace. and will rarely attack man save
| in defence of their young or their ilVes'
uhiIe others. more particularly the keit-
loa. will attack man or beast SIMPLY 10
crafty their love Of fighting. The Hon
Fever risks an encounter with rhino-
| ceros save when absolutely necessary TOT
| his own safety, and II Is but seldom the
elephant cares to measure strength with
| him. for the larger animal Is far less quick
i'm his movements than the smaller.
THE rhinoceros of Asia Is much better
,empered than it's African brothers.
Nothing is definitely known as to the
average age of this animal. but II is gen.
orally believed that the duration OF life
OF an Asian rhinoceros is hardly less than
| 100 years.
Failure OF National Bank.