A description of the rhinoceros, lately brought from the East-Indies, and sold the 25th. of this instant August, to Mr. L. for 2320£.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE RHINOCEROS, Lately brought from the Eaſt-INDIES, And ſold the 25th. of this Inſtant Auguſt, to Mr. L. for 2320 l.

THE Rhinoceros is accounted the ſecond wonder in Nature; being a Beaſt every way admirable for its outward ſhape and greatneſs, as alſo for its inward courage, diſpoſition, and mildneſs. For as the Elephant is the firſt wonder, ſo is this Beaſt next to the Elephant, being every way as much to be admired as he, if he do not exceed him, except in bulk and height.

Firſt of all, that this Beaſt was not unknown to the Ancients, Pliny, Solinus, Diodorus, Lampridius, Aelianus, Strabo and others, are moſt undeniable Teſtimonies. Suetonius makes mention of one which was publickly ſhown to the People of Rome by Augustus. Holiogabolus had another, and before either of them Pomey produc'd a Rhinoceros in his publick Spectacles; as Seneca witneſſes. And Antonius Pius, amongſt the Gifts that he beſtowed upon the People, is ſaid to have given them for their publick paſtimes, Tygers, Rhinoſeruſſes and other wild Beaſts. And Martial in one of his Epigrams, confirms it to us, That in the Reign of Domitian, there was a Rhinoceros, which in the Emperors preſence toſs'd up a wild Bull into the Air, as if he had been a meer Tennis Ball. And of latter days there was a Rhinoceros brought alive to Lisbon in Portugal, whoſe Picture was taken by Geſner, and inſerted into his Hiſtory of Animals, nothing varying from the ſhape and figure of the Beaſt which is now to be ſeen: From whence it is apparent that this is the ſame Beaſt, to which the Ancients gave the Name of Rhinoceros.

It was called Rhinoceros by the Greeks, from Rhin, which ſignifies a Noſe, and Keras, a Horn; as much as to ſay the Noſehorn'd Beaſt. Nor have the Latins alter'd the name, in regard, that although there are ſeveral Beaſts that have but one Horn, yet there is not any that has a Horn growing out of the Noſe, but this alone.

This Beaſt is alſo thought to be the ſame, which in the Hebrew is called Reem; and therefore Munſter ſo tranſlates the place, Deut. 33. His Beauty ſhall be like the beauty of a Bull, and his Horns like the Horn of a Rhinoceros, &c. And Tertullian writing againſt the Heretick Praxeas, tranſlates it after the ſame manner, which being ſo, it appears to have been a Beaſt well known in the World long before the times of the Romans already mentioned.

But now to come to the Deſcriptions of this Beaſt (as Pliny deſcribes) it is equal in length, if not longer, than an Elephant, but withal ſomewhat lower and with ſhorter Leggs; his outward form and proportion being like a wild Boars, eſpecially in his Mouth, except, that out of his Noſe grows a Horn harder then any Bone, which he makes uſe of inſtead of Offenſive Arms, as a Boar does of his Tuſhes; and that he has two kind of ſcalie Aprons, on each ſide, like the Wings of a Dragon, reaching from his Back down to his Belly, and ſpreading one way toward his Neck, and the other way towards his hinder parts; his colour is like the Bark of a Box-tree, which is not much unlike that of the Elephants, and upon his Forehead there grows Hairs that ſeems a little red; his Skin is ſo hard that a dart cannot penetrate it; upon which there appears many diviſions like the ſhells of a Tortoiſe, ſet over with Scales, without any Hair. In like manner the legs are ſcaled down to the very hoofs, which are parted with four diſtinct Claws. Upon his Noſe there grows a hard and ſharp Horn, bending a little toward the Head, but not ſo high; flat and not round; and therefore the more ſharp and ſtrong. Whatever is ſet to it, it either throws up into the Air, or elſe bores it through, whether Iron or Stones.

By the way, we are not ſo nicely to conſider the bulk and colour of the Elephant, in regard it is but rational to believe, that as among all other Beaſts there is a difference in bigneſs and colour, ſo there may be the ſame variety among theſe Rhinoceroſses.

As to their Nature and Diſpoſition, Martiall makes 'em ſlow to Anger, but fierce when they are engaged; and therefore he ſays, that the Rhinoceros was provok'd and vex'd by his Maſter, before he toſſed up the Bull like a Tennis Ball into the Air before Domitian. But it is farther ſaid of 'em, that when they are to fight, they whet their Horn upon a Stone, and fight with the Elephant, not only for their food but out of a Natural Antipathy, and overcomes the Elephant by faſtning their Horns in the lower part of his Belly, and ſo ripping open his Gutts; inſomuch that when the Rhinoceros that was at Lisbon was brought into the preſence of an Elephant, the Elephant ran away from him.

They are taken as the Ʋnicorn is taken, for Authors of good credit affirms, that above all Creatures they love Virgins, and that be they never ſo wild, they will lie down and fall a ſleep before a true Maid; and ſo being aſleep are eaſily taken.