66 Rhinoceroses. 



attention to the fact in the columns of Nature, " in 

 the hope that the attention of the several exploring 

 parties now traversing Mashunaland and Matabele - 

 land may be called to this subject, and that in case 

 of a straggling survivor of the white rhinoceros 

 being met with, it may be carefully preserved for 

 the National Collection at South Kensington." He 

 draws attention to the following differences in the 

 forms of the heads of the two species. First, the 

 different formation of the lips already mentioned ; 

 secondly, the size and shape of the ears ; " in 

 B. bicornis the ear-conch is much rounded at the 

 extremity, and edged by a fringe of short black 

 hairs which spring from the margin. In R. simus 

 the ear-conch is much elongated and sharply 

 pointed at its upper extremity, where the hairs 

 which clothe its margin constitute a slight tuft. 

 While the upper portion of the ear-conch is much 

 more expanded in R. simus (than in R. bicornis), 

 in the lower portion the two margins are united 

 together for a much greater extent, and form a 

 closed cylinder, which rises about three inches 

 above the base." Thirdly, the shape of the 

 nostrils, "which in R. simus are elongated in a 

 direction parallel to the mouth, while in R. bicornis 

 they are more nearly of a circular shape " ; while, 

 lastly, the eye in R. simus appears to be placed 

 further back in the head than in R. bicornis. 

 Another point of difference, mentioned by Mr. 

 Selous, is that the square-mouthed rhinoceros 

 walks and runs with its nose close to the ground; 



