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 their winged friends to remain
undisturbed, thinking, that as long as they stay, no enemy is near; but
if they fly off, some danger is approaching, for which they immediately
look out. These birds are not unlike the missal thrush, and remain by
their friends till they are forced to leave them. When the latter are
shot, they fly away, uttering a harsh cry, and return to their positions
when all is quiet, even adhering to them all night. This may be also the
case in India; but I have only seen it recorded of Africa. I should
suppose that the loud blowing noise attributed to the African
rhinoceros, holds good with all. The black variety is the most
dangerous; they ramble about at night, and go to the river to drink,
between the hours of nine and twelve. Those sudden fits of frenzy, to
which all are liable, are particularly outrageous in them; and they have
been seen to attack the bushes around them for hours at a time;
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