The Great Indian Rhinoceros 



less completely hornless, and since the same condition 

 obtained in both sexes of certain extinct species (some 

 of which are found in India), it is obvious that other 

 characters must be sought in order to properly define 

 these animals. 



Rhinoceroses are huge, clumsily-built animals, with 

 long bodies, large heads surmounted by the aforesaid 

 horn or horns, short and thick legs, and sparsely-haired 

 or naked skins of great thickness. In all the living 

 species there are three toes to each foot, each encased 

 in a small hoof- like nail at its termination ; the 

 middle one being larger than either of the others, and 

 symmetrical in itself The long and low head presents 

 a markedly concave profile, rising posteriorly into an 

 abrupt ridge or crest, on which are situated the 

 medium-sized and more or less tube-like ears, whose 

 margins are fringed with bristly hairs. Although there 

 is no trunk, the upper lip is frequently produced into 

 a pointed and semi-prehensile tip ; and the eyes, which 

 are situated on the sides of the head, are small and 

 pig-like. The cylindrical tail does not reach within 

 some distance of the hocks ; and the cows have a pair 

 of teats, situated in the groin. 



Very characteristic of rhinoceroses are their teeth, 

 although the number of these varies considerably in 

 the different species, the African members of the group 

 having none in the front of the jaws. In spite of 

 showing minor specific modifications, the cheek-teeth 

 are characterised by a distinct pattern of grinding 

 surface ; the essential elements in those of the upper 

 jaw being a continuous vertical outer wall, from which 

 proceed two transverse crests, separated by a deep 

 open cleft, towards the inner margin of the crown. In 

 some cases the plane of the grinding surface is nearly 

 horizontal, while in others it is ridged ; and the 

 transverse crests and inner surface of the outer wall 

 may be complicated by projections jutting into the 

 intervening channel. 



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