WHITE RHINOCEROS 35 



and the length and number of its horns. One specimen killed by 

 this gentleman had three horns ; in another the length of the front 

 horn was 29 and that of the back horn 12 inches; while in a third 

 these two dimensions were respectively 1 7 and 1 8 inches. Some 

 years ago rhinoceroses were still fairly numerous on the south side of 

 the Haud, especially between Milmil and Imi, and also south of the 

 Webbe Shebeley. In Somaliland these animals have a great partiality 

 for the giant euphorbias (commonly miscalled cactuses), which they 

 uproot, and then chew the stems. Their hides are much prized by 

 the Somalis for shields, from fifteen to twenty of which can be cut 

 from a single skin. 



Rhinoceroses with three, or even more, horns have been killed in 

 other parts of East Africa. 



THE WHITE OR BURCHELL'S RHINOCEROS 



{Rhinoceros sivnis) 



Wit Rhenoster, Cape Dutch ; Chuhiru, Bechuana ; 

 Uinhofo, Matabili 



(Plate i, fig. 2) 



The third largest of living land animals, being exceeded in this 

 respect only by the African and the Indian elephant, the white 

 rhinoceros was long supposed to be confined to Africa south of the 

 Zambesi, where it is now on the point of extermination, if indeed it 

 has not already ceased to exist. A few years ago a skull of this 

 species was, however, brought by Major A. Gibbons from the Lado 

 enclave, about five degrees north of the equator, where the animal is 

 now known to exist in small numbers, although nowhere abundant. 



Why it was called white rhinoceros by the Boers (unless indeed 

 its representatives in the old days were really paler in some districts 

 than the black rhinoceros) remains a mystery. Nevertheless, this is 

 the most convenient and best- known designation for this mighty 

 animal. 



Attaining a shoulder-height of from 6 feet 6 inches to 6 feet 

 8 inches, the white rhinoceros is distinguishable at a glance from the 

 other African species by its broad, abruptly truncated muzzle, which is 

 non-prehensile ; correlated with which is the squared extremity of the 

 nasal bones of the skull. The front horn of the male has a remarkably 



