ITS NEAKEST EXISTING RELATIONS. 53 



THE RHINOCEROSES (Family Rhinocerotidce). 



The name rhinoceros (meaning in Greek " nose- 

 horn") was applied by the ancients to an animal the 

 most striking external peculiarity of which was cer- 

 tainly the horn growing above its nose. 



The following are the general characters appli- 

 cable to all the existing members of the family : 



Head large. Ears of moderate size, oval, erect, 

 prominent, placed near the occiput. Eyes small. 

 Neck short. Skin very thick, in some species consist- 

 ing of massive, indurated, almost inflexible, plates, 

 with thin soft intervals or joints, to allow of motion. 

 Hairy covering scanty. Tail of moderate length, 

 slightly tufted. Limbs stout, rather short. Three 

 completely developed toes, with distinct, broad, 

 rounded hoofs on each foot.* 



All existing species have one or two horns, placed 

 in the middle line upon the face. When one is 

 present, it is situated over the conjoined nasal bones j 

 when two, the hinder one is over the frontals. These 

 horns differ in details of structure from those of any 

 other animal, though belonging to the same category 

 of epidermic growths as the horns of oxen, as well 

 as nails, claws, hoofs, callosities, and warts. Their 



* In some extinct species a small outer toe is present on 

 the fore-foot. 



