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NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



cause it to appear whitish, the same animal on 

 being followed into the shade appearing quite dark. 

 We may thus conclude that R. simiis, even when 

 not recently emerged from its mud-bath, may 

 appear white owing to the slate-grey hide 

 glistening beneath the fierce rays of the African 

 sun. 



3. There appears to be a distinct tendency to 

 true albinism in the white rhinoceros. Individuals 

 have been met which were really white, or at least 

 whitish. Sir Cornwallis Harris, who saw many 

 simus during his famous expedition of 1836-7, says 



of this animal "His true complexion often 



approaches to cream colour." Mr. Nicholson, 

 writing to the " Field" in 1894, mentions having 

 shot no less than three examples which were of a 

 yellowish cream hue. According to old tradition, 

 the white rhinoceroses inhabiting South Western 

 Cape Colony were lighter in colour than those 

 found further north : these would naturally be the 

 first individuals encountered by the early expe- 

 ditions setting out from Cape Town, and thus the 

 name adopted by the old pioneers would come 

 into general use. 



4. Another explanation has also been suggested. 



The horns of the white rhinoceros are pale- 

 coloured, and those of the black rhinoceros are 

 black, hence since these structures are but agglu- 

 tinated hair, it may be inferred that if these animals" 



