i66 WILD SPORTS OF BURMA AND ASSAM 



and more tufted tail, the ears having a fringe of long hair and 

 being naked inside; but above all by the much greater breadth 

 of the head. 



Unquestionably the difference was considerable; but by far 

 the most remarkable, the shape of the head is shown by 

 Blyth to be variable in both R. unicornis and R. sondaicus, 

 for he figured and described a broad and narrow type of each, 

 as well as R. sumatrensis. 



The other distinctions scarcely appear to me of specific 

 value, and I am inclined to regard the two forms as varieties 

 only. 



Distribution. Rare in Assam, though one specimen has 

 been recorded on the Sankosh river, in the Bhutan Duars 

 (P.Z.S. 1875, p. 566). Another was shot 20 miles south 

 of Comillah in Tipperah, in February 1 876. From Assam the 

 species ranges to Siam, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and 

 Borneo. 



Habits. Very similar to those of the other species. This 

 rhinoceros inhabits forests, and is found at a considerable 

 elevation, having been observed 4000 feet above the sea in 

 Tenasserim, by Tickell. It is a shy and timid animal, but 

 easily tamed when adult. 



Details obtained by Mr. Bartlett concerning a young animal 

 born in London, induced him to regard the period of gestation 

 as probably a little over seven months. This differs greatly 

 from Hodgson's account of the period in R. unicornis, but 

 no details are furnished in the case of the last-named species, 

 whilst the evidence is stated in that of R. sumatrensis. Still, 

 for so large and apparently so long-lived an animal, seven 

 months of uterine life appears short. 



Anderson, in his Fauna of Mergui and its Archipelago, 

 mentions having heard of a two-horned rhino seen swimming 

 in the sea near High Island in the Archipelago. Probably 

 all rhinoceros are good swimmers. (They certainly are. 

 F. T. P.) 



The story of the Chittagong rhinoceros that was unable to 

 swim must be, I think, a mistake. The account given by 

 Mason, and repeated by Blyth, of this or any other rhinoceros 

 attacking fire should be received with great caution. To my 



