THE WHITE RHINOCEROS 129 



feet, measured from the base of the anterior horn 

 to the tip of the two foot tail : the maximum 

 weiofht of this rhinoceros has been estimated at 

 five thousand pounds (Andersson). The white 

 rhinoceros is a larger animal than the black species, 

 from which it may at once be differentiated by the 

 square, rubber-like and non-prehensile upper lip. 

 Other distingfuishing^ characters oi Rhinoceros simus 

 are the slit-like nostrils, the characteristic position 

 of the eye behind the line of the second horn, the 

 semi-tubular ears, and the great length of the 

 shapeless head — these points amply justifying the 

 refusal of the late Joseph Wolf to depict the white 

 rhinoceros as resembling its black congener in all 

 respects, save for the square upper lip. He said 

 that surely other important differences existed, and 

 indeed, when closely compared, the two animals 

 are really very unlike each other, as may be seen 

 from the followinor table : — 



White Rhinoceros. Black Rhinoceros. 



(Rhinoceros simus). (Rhinoceros bico7'nisJ.i 



1. Upper lip square, non-prehen- Upper lip pointed, prehensile, and 



sile, and adapted for grazing. adapted for browsing. 



2. Nostrils slit-like, elongated. Nostrils small and rounded. 



and narrow. 



3. Eye situated entirely behind Eye situated behind axis of second 



line of second horn. horn. 



4. Ears semi-tubular and scantily Ears open : fringed on upper edge. 



tufted. 



5. Head much elongated. Head less elongated. 



6. Feet broad, leaving a wide Feet smaller : spoor about 27in. 



spoor or footmark about 36in. circumference. (Kirby). 



circumference. (Kirby). 



7. Size of animal very large, 6ft. Size smaller up to 5ft. Sin. at 



at shoulder. shoulder. (Baker). 



1 Some naturalists have recently adopted Diceros bicornis as the 

 scientific name of the black rhinoceros. 



