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above the nose, and extend in a curve above the eyes, almost touching the forehead, and are twelve inches in length. These tusks are of the most beautiful ivory, but not so hard as those of the Elephant.

The Babirouffa abounds in feveral of the islands of the Eaft-Indies; particularly Buero, a small ifle near Amboyna.

It is easily tamed; and its flesh is well tafted. It lives on leaves of trees and other vegetables. Its fcent is exquifite: It can discover the approach of dogs at a distance. When closely pursued, it plunges into the sea, fwims and dives with great facility from one ifland to another, and by that means frequently escapes from its purfuers.

They live in herds; and when any number of them are together, their odour is fo ftrong, that the dogs can fcent them at a confiderable distance.---When attacked, they growl frightfully, and defend themfelves with their under tusks: The upper ones are serviceable to them in taking their repose, by hooking them on the branches of

trees.

THE LONG-NOSED TAPIIR

is the Hippopotamus of the new world, and has by fome authors been mistaken for that animal.---It inhabits the woods and rivers on the eaftern fide of South-America, from the isthmus of Darien to the river of the Amazons. ---It is a folitary animal, fleeps during the day, and goes out in the night in search of food; lives on grafs, fugarcanes, and fruits. If difturbed, it takes to the water; fwims with great eafe, or plunges to the bottom; and, like the Hippopotamus, walks there as on dry ground.

It is about the size of a small Cow: Its nofe is long and flender, and extends far beyond the lower jaw, forming a kind of probofcis, which it can contract or extend at pleasure; each jaw is furnished with ten cutting teeth, and as many grinders; its ears are small and erect; its body formed like that of a Hog; its back arched; legs fhort; and hoofs, of which it has four upon each foot, fmall, black, and hollow; its tail is very fmall; its hair fhort, and of a dufky-brown colour.

The Tapiir is mild and inoffenfive, avoids all hoftilities

with other animals, and flies from every appearance of danger. Its fkin, of which the Indians make bucklers, is very thick; and when dried, is fo hard, as to refift the impreffion of an arrow. The natives eat its flesh, which is faid to be very good.

THE

RHINOCERO S.

We are indebted to the labours of many learned and ingenious naturalifts for accurate defcriptions of this wonderful creature, which in fize is only exceeded by the Elephant, and in ftrength and power is inferior to no other animal. Bontius fays, that in the bulk of its body it equals the Elephant, but is lower only on account of the fhortness of its legs.

The length of the Rhinoceros, from the extremity of the muzzle to the infertion of the tail, is ufually twelve feet; and the circumference of its body nearly equal to its length. Its nofe is armed with a formidable weapon, peculiar to this creature, being a very hard and folid horn, with which it defends itself from every adversary.

The Tiger will rather attack the Elephant, whose trunk it can lay hold of, than the Rhinoceros, which it cannot face, without danger of having its bowels torn out.

The body and limbs of the Rhinoceros are covered with a skin so hard and impenetrable, that he fears neither the claws of the Tiger, nor the more formidable probofcis of the Elephant: It will turn the edge of a fcimitar, and even refift the force of a musket-ball. The fkin, which is of a blackish colour, forms itself into large folds at the neck, the fhoulders, and the crupper, by which the motion of the head and limbs is facilitated; round the neck, which is very fhort, are two large folds; there is also a fold from the fhoulders, which hangs down. upon the fore legs; and another from the hind part of the back to the thighs. The body is every-where covered with small tuberofities or knots, which are small on the neck and back, but larger on the fides: The thighs, legs, and even the feet, are full of thefe incruftations, which have been mistaken for fcales by fome authors: They are, however, only fimple indurations of the skin, without any uniformity in their figure, or regularity in their pofition. Between the folds, the skin is penetrable and delicate, as soft to the touch as filk, and of a light flesh colour: The skin of the belly is nearly of the fame colour and confiftency.

The body of the Rhinoceros is long and thick; its belly is large, and hangs near the ground; its legs fhort, round, and very flrong; and its hoofs are divided into three parts, each pointing forward. The head of this animal is large; its ears long and erect; and its eyes fmall, funk, and without vivacity: The upper lip is long, overhangs the lower, and is capable of great extension: It is fo pliable, that the Rhinoceros can move it from

fide to fide, twift it round a ftick, collect its food, or feize with it any thing it would carry to its mouth.

The Rhinoceros, without being ferocious, carnivorous, or even extremely wild, is, however, totally untractable and rude. It seems to be fubject to paroxyfms of fury, which nothing can appeafe. That which Emanuel, king of Portugal, fent to the pope in the year 1513, deftroyed the veffel in which they were transporting it.

Like the Hog, the Rhinoceros is fond of wallowing in the mire. It is a folitary animal, loves moift and marshy grounds, and feldom quits the banks of rivers.—It is found in Bengal, Siam, China, and other countries of Afia; in the ifles of Java, Sumatra, Ceylon, &c.; in Ethiopia, and the country as low as the Cape of Good Hope: But in general, the fpecies is not numerous, and is much less diffused than that of the Elephant.

The female produces but one at a time, and at confiderable intervals.--During the first month, the young Rhinoceros exceeds not the fize of a large dog. At the age of two years, the horn is not more than an inch long; at fix years old, it is nine or ten inches long; and grows to the length of three feet and a half, and fometimes four feet. The horn is much efteemed by the natives as an antidote against poison, as well as a remedy for particular diseases.

The Rhinoceros feeds on the groffeft herbs, and prefers thiftles and fhrubs to foft or delicate pafturage. It is fond of the fugar-cane, and eats all kinds of grain.

Dr Parfons remarks, that this animal has an acute and very attentive ear. It will liften with a deep and longcontinued attention to any kind of noise; and, though it be eating, lying down, or obeying any preffing demands of Nature, it will raise its head, and liften till the noise ceafe.

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