134 NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



peans for many years previous to that date, though 

 it was not then recognised as distinct from the 

 black species. Thus we find that Dr. Parsons in 

 1742-3 figured a rhinoceros horn, which Dr, Gray 

 recognised in 1867 as that of R. oswellii kabaoba 

 form of the white rhinoceros. This horn was 

 originally in Sir Hans Sloane's collection, and 

 along with his other curios was purchased by the 

 Trustees on the foundation of the British Museum 

 in 1753 : it appears to be the oldest example of 

 which there is any record, and should, therefore, 

 strictly speaking, be regarded as the type specimen 

 rather than any of Burchell's trophies in the Royal 

 College of Surgeons' Museum. It is, however, 

 so remarkably curved in an S -shape as to be 

 practically deformed (kabaoba type run mad), and 

 is quite different from any other horn whether 

 kabaoba or mohohu which I have ever seen. 

 On rising from the base, this horn passes first 

 backward, then gradually sweeps forward to become 

 slightly recurved at the tip. Its contour thus 

 resembles that of a reversed gazelle horn of 

 gigantic size. Science can be little benefited by 

 accepting such very abnormal examples as typical 

 of the species, and to do so would be to worship 

 the fetish of priority at the expense of reason. 



In 1812 Dr. Burchell found the white rhinoceros 

 abundant in the Batlapin country, near Letakoo 

 (Kuruman), the species being first met with in 26 



