AFRICAN RHINOCEROSES 



1061 



Characteristics 



AFRICAN RHINOCEROSES 



Although it is commonly reported by hunters, who in many cases derive their 

 information from native sources, that there are several kinds of rhinoceroses inhab- 

 iting Africa, we have at present definite acquaintance with only two species, namely, 

 the common African rhinoceros, frequently spoken of as the black rhinoceros, and 

 the square-mouthed, or Burchell's rhinoceros, commonly termed the white rhinoc- 

 eros. Since there is but little, if any, marked difference in the color of the two 

 animals, the names founded on this characteristic are best discarded. It is possible, 

 however, that a third species may inhabit East Africa. 



Both species are furnished with two horns, which attain a greater 

 development than in either of their Asiatic relatives. From all the 

 latter the African rhinoceroses are distinguished by the absence of any permanent 

 folds in the skin, and also by the want of both incisor teeth and tusks in the adult 

 state, such teeth if they occur even in the young being rudimentary and function- 

 less. In consequence of this want of front teeth, the extremities of both the 

 upper and lower jaws are much shorter than in the Asiatic species. Moreover, 

 whereas in the latter the nasal bones are narrow and terminate in a point, in the 

 African rhinoceroses they are rounded and truncated in front. In both kinds the 

 skin of the body is almost entirely naked and comparatively smooth; but there is 

 generally a little fringe or tuft of hair on the ears and tail. 



The common African rhinoceros (R. bicornis} is the smaller of the 

 Common two S p ec i eS) an( i i s a i so the one which has by far the wider distribu- 



tion, extending, in suitable districts, through Eastern and Central 

 Africa, from Abyssinia in the north to the Cape Colony in the south. 

 From the character of the upper lip this species is sometimes spoken of as the 

 prehensile-lipped rhinoceros, while in Southern and Eastern Africa it is variously 

 termed the boreli 

 or upetyani, the 

 keitloa, and the 

 kulumani ; these 

 different native 

 names, as we shall 

 notice later, re- 

 ferring to differ- 

 ences in the rela- 

 tive proportions 

 of the two horns. 

 This species is 

 best characterized 

 by the pointed and 



slightly prehen- HEAD OF THE COMMON AFRICAN RHINOCEROS. 



sile upper lip, the 



small and rounded nostrils, and the position of the eyes being a little behind the 

 continuation of the axis of the second horn. The ears are of moderate length, and 



African 

 Rhinoceros 



