ion, that it seeks the elephant for the purpose
of giving him battle, on which occasion it was said to sharpen its horn
against a stone just before the engagement: according to Mr. Gordon
Cumming's account, they inhabit the same neighbourhood without
exhibiting any particular enmity towards each other.

As far as we know at present, there are six species, all of which
inhabit Africa and India, including Java and Sumatra; they have three
toes on each foot covered with a hoof. The sides of their body project
in a remarkable degree; their skin is enormously thick, knotty in its
surface, and has but a few hairs scattered over it. The Indian
rhinoceroses have enormous folds of this skin, hanging upon the
shoulders, haunches, neck and thighs, looking as if each fold covered a
thick rope; the ears of all are erect, the eyes small and near the nose;
the tail short; they carry their heads so low that they almost touch the
earth; they plough up the ground with their horn, scattering stones and
soil without any apparent motive, and few things can resist the
impetuous force which they put forth, when they rush upon an object
which has excited their fury. Their smell and hearing are extremely
acute, so that it is difficult to approach them; but as their sight is
very limited, they may be avoided by slipping on one side when they are
in pursuit of an enemy.

The Javanese and Sumatran species are smaller, lighter, and consequently
less ferocious and powerful than the others. Both in Africa and India
there is a superstition with regard to the horns of all the species,
which the natives declare are sensibly acted on by poison. It is the
custom to make cups of them, and in India it is said, that liquid poison
poured into them, effervesces in such a manner that it overflows the
cup. In Africa, the inhabitants assure you, that the cup will turn black
from the same cause; and that water drunk from them possesses medicinal
properties, especially if stirred with iron. The folds on the skin of
the African species are much less than those of the Indian, and amount
to scarcely more than wrinkles. The latter have been known to live a
hundred years, and when young, their skin has a pink tinge. All eat the
young branches of trees, and shrubs, and grass.

It has been observed, that the skin of the African rhinoceros is so full
of insects, that birds are in the habit of perching upon them, for the
purpose of feeding on these insects. They suffer th