THE WHITE RHINOCEROS 139 



Thus has the great white rhinoceros practically 

 vanished from South Africa, where once it occurred 

 in a teeming abundance difficult to realise at the 

 present day. One cannot expect that the few sur- 

 vivors (now protected as far as possible) will restore 

 the race, though the belated game regulations are no 

 dead letter. In 1897-8 two Europeans who had 

 killed a pair of simus (the female being in calf) 

 were very properly compelled to pay a heavy fine. * 

 Such stringent measures at an earlier date might 

 have saved to future generations of South African 

 naturalists and under proper restrictions, of 

 sportsmen also this curious behemoth, whose 

 monstrous size and antediluvian appearance con- 

 stitute it a worthy ally of the hornless amynodon 

 and the huge elasmotherium of Miocene and 

 Pleistocene times. 



In captivity the white rhinoceros has proved a 

 most disappointing animal, dying even when taken 

 quite young from no obvious cause. None of the 

 calves which have been captured from time to time 

 have survived long enough to be taken down 

 country, to say nothing of being brought to Europe, 

 so that the animal has never been represented in 

 any zoological garden. This has not been for 

 want of trying, for many efforts have been made 

 to rear young simus. Many years ago the 

 thirteenth Earl of Derby sent a thoroughly com- 



i The animals thus wantonly slaughtered were left lying where 

 they fell. 



