406 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



Dutch and English hunters to be superior to that of any other game 

 animal in South Africa, and in this verdict I entirely agree." 

 (Selous, in Bryden, 1899, pp. 52-54, 64.) Elsewhere (1914, pp. 

 14-15) Selous writes: 



The emigrant Boers first encountered the white rhinoceros just north of 

 the Vaal River on the open grassy downs, where the towns of Klerksdorp and 

 Potchefstroom now stand, and I have had the actual spots pointed out to 

 me by old Boer "voortrekkers". ... In those days these huge pachyderms were 

 practically without enemies, for, with the exception of the small number which 

 fell into native pitfalls, very few could have been killed, and before the 

 advent of the European hunter with his death-dealing fire-arms, the species 

 must have increased almost to the limit of its food supply. Within fifty years, 

 however, of the time when Cornwallis Harris had met with the white rhinoceros 

 in almost incredible numbers, . . . thousands upon thousands of these huge 

 creatures were killed by white hunters, and natives armed with the white 

 man's weapons, and the species had become practically extinct. 



Natal. "In 1894 ... a few of these animals were discovered to 

 be still surviving in a corner of Zululand, and it is said that six of 

 them were shot there during that year" (Selous, in Bryden, 1899, 

 p. 58). 



"There are still said to be a few surviving in Zululand, where they 

 are very strictly preserved, and where, perhaps, they may have a 

 chance of increasing if proper precautions are observed" (W. L. 

 Sclater, 1900, vol. 1, p. 302). 



Vaughan-Kirby (1920) gives the following information: 



In Zululand, at the present day, the white rhinoceros is to be found only 

 in the Mfolozi Game Reserve . . . and in a narrow strip of country along 

 the south bank [of the White Mfolozi River], 



From time to time evidence has been adduced which indicates that there 

 may be a few of these animals, probably not exceeding five or six in number, 

 in the dense bush at the north end of False Bay. (P. 225.) 



They are frequently accompanied by the "Tick-birds" (Buphagus erythro- 

 rhynchus) and sometimes by the Buff-backed and the Little Egrets (Bubulcus 

 ibis and Herodias garzetta). The former scramble about all over the huge 

 animals, exactly as they do upon cattle, and as they are particularly wide- 

 awake birds it is very difficult to approach their host when they are present, 

 as they invariably . . . sound a warning of which even this dull-witted 

 pachyderm never fails to avail itself. The egrets sedately follow up the 

 rhinoceroses as they move, and may frequently be seen taking ticks from 

 under the animal's belly. (P. 240.) 



"There are only some twenty of this southern sub-species now 

 remaining in the world. They are . . . confined in ... the Um- 

 volosi Reserve. They have been and still are in the greatest peril 

 of extinction at the hands of the neighbouring settlers, some of whom 

 resent their presence because to it and that of the other wild 

 animals they ascribe the continued existence of the tsetse fly in 

 the locality. Three of these white rhinos were illegally killed in 

 1928, and in the 'game drive' of 1921 five are said to have been shot." 

 (Jour. Soc. Preservation Fauna Empire, pt. 9, 1929.) 



