The Singpho Rhinoceros 



and the Patkai Range. Consequently, the suggestion 

 naturally arises that the Singpho rhinoceros may be a 

 representative of the great Indian Rhinoceros unicornis^ 

 whose chief habitat at the present day is the Assam 

 Valley. That the Singpho animal is not absolutely 

 identical with the Assam rhinoceros is practically certain 

 when it is borne in mind that the latter is a plain- 

 dwelling species, and that the mountain barrier between 

 the Assam and Chindwin Valleys is of very considerable 

 height. 



1 have endeavoured to ascertain whether there are 

 any traces ot the Singpho rhinoceros in public or 

 private collections, and have succeeded in finding one 

 specimen which affords decisive evidence of the exist- 

 ence of such an animal. In the third (1899) edition of 

 Mr. Rowland Ward's invaluable Records of Big Game^ 

 there occurs under the heading of the great Indian 

 rhinoceros, the entry of a horn from " Singpo," Burma, 

 belonging to Sir C. A. Elliott, K.C.S.I., the specimen 

 measuring 19 inches in length and 18 inches in girth. 

 From the fourth edition of Mr. Ward's book the entry 

 has been omitted, probably for the reason that the 

 editor thought there must be an error in recording the 

 great Indian rhinoceros from Burma. The Singpho 

 horn, it may be added, accords much better in dimensions 

 with that of the great Indian species than with those of 

 either of the other Asiatic rhinoceroses, and indicates a 

 large animal. 



Upon obtaining this information I wrote to Sir 

 Charles Elliott, who, in reply, informed me that when 

 in Sadiya, the extreme north-eastern station of Assam, 

 in the winter of 1882-83, o'* thereabouts, he heard that 

 a fine rhinoceros horn had been brought down to the 

 bazaar by some Singphos for sale. This specimen, 

 together with a smaller horn, was purchased by Sir 

 Charles, the former being mounted as a trophy, and 

 the latter being made into an inkstand. The owner 

 informs me that there is every reason for believing the 



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