RHINOCEROS INDICUS. 233 



ticus, BLUMENBACH. E. inermis, LESSON. Figured F. CUVIER, Menag. 

 de Museum d'Hist. Nat. Gfenda, Gonda, Ganda, and Genra, H. 



THE GREAT INDIAN RHINOCEROS. 



Descr. Of large size \ only one horn; skin with a deep fold at the 

 setting on of the head, another behind the shoulder, and another in 

 front of the thighs ; two large incisors in each jaw, with two other 

 intermediate small ones below, and two still smaller outside the upper 

 inqisors, not always present. General colour dusky black. 



Length, about 9 to 10 feet, occasionally it is said 12 feet; tail 2; 

 height 4J to 5 feet ; horn occasionally 2 feet. 



Compared with the next species, this rhinoceros has the condyle of the 

 lower jaw proportionally much more elevated, imparting a conspicuously 

 greater altitude to the vertex when the lower jaw is in situ. The skull 

 of one specimen was 2 feet long ; the height of the condyle of the lower 

 jaw one foot. The tubercles of the hide are also much larger than in 

 JR. sondtdcus. 



This huge rhinoceros is found in the Terai at the foot of the Himalayas, 

 from Bhotan to Nepal. It is more common in the eastern portion of the 

 Terai than the west, and is most abundant in Assam and the Bhotan 

 Dooars. I have heard from sportsmen of its occurrence as far west as 

 flohilcund, but it is certainly rare there now, and indeed along the 

 greater part of the Nepal Terai ; and although a few have been killed 

 in the Sikim Terai, they are more abundant east of the Teesta river. As 

 far as is at present known, this species does not extend to the south of 

 the region adjoining the Himalayas, though it is possible that it may 

 cross the Berrampooter river, and occur on the north of the range of 

 hills that bound that valley to the south. 



It frequents swampy ground in the forests, and dense jungles. The 

 Rhinoceros is almost always hunted for on elephants, and a wounded one 

 will occasionally charge and overthrow an elephant. The very thick hide 

 of this animal requires a hard ball, and a steel-tipped bullet was fre- 

 quently used before the introduction of the deadly shell, now in general 

 use against large game. Jelpigoree, a small military station near the ; 

 Teesta River, was a favourite locality whence to hunt the Rhinoceros 

 and it was from that station Captain Fortescue, of the late 73rd N.I., 

 got his skulls, which were, strange to say, the first that Mr. Blyth had 



