Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of AnimalsLee, R., Mrs.
General
Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of Animals
Lee, R., Mrs.
Animal behavior -- Juvenile literature
Most of the rhinoceroses brought to Europe have been remarkably
good-tempered and docile; but one which was lodged in Exeter Change, was
only kept in order by the whip; no kindness having any effect upon him,
especially in his sudden fits of fury, which were of the most frightful
violence.
Mr. Burchell's measurement of a rhinoceros, made him eleven feet from
the tip of the nose to the insertion of the tail, and the girth of the
body was eight feet four inches.
"Some years ago," says Captain Brown, "a party of Europeans, with their
native attendants and elephants (of course this must have been in
India) met with a small band of seven (rhinoceroses). These were led by
a larger, and more powerful animal than the rest. When this large leader
charged the hunters, the first elephants, in place of using their tusks
as weapons, wheeled round, and received the blow of the rhinoceros's
horn on their hind quarters; and so powerful was the concussion, that it
brought them instantly to the ground with their riders; and as soon as
they could get on their feet again, the brute was ready to repeat the
attack, and was certain to produce another fall; and in this manner did
the contest continue, until four of the seven were killed, when the rest
made good their retreat."
HORSES.
Although, still lingering among the Pachydermata, I have now left behind
me the ponderous and unwieldy forms which inhabit the wild and wooded
tracts of the earth's surface, and come to the group called Solipeda,
from the one round and horny hoof which encircles all the feet; one toe
is apparent; and two points on each side, under the skin, represent
lateral toes; besides which there is, underneath, a soft pad, or what is
generally termed the frog, which touches the ground when the animal
walks.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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