1876.] HON. W. DRUMMOND ON AFRICAN RHINOCEROSES. 113 



siderable difficulty conveyed it to our camp. The bottom in which 

 it was tethered contained abundance of the rich grass which forma 

 the chief food of R. si/mis ; but it did not eat much of it, though 

 even on the first evening it consumed a large quantity- of the young 

 shoots and tender leaves of the thorn-branches provided for it, and 

 seemed to be most fond of the hack, or waitabit thorn, turning over 

 the other kinds with its snout and tasting them, and then passing 

 them by to search for the former. On the second evening, however, 

 I noticed it, after returning from water, commence to eat the sur- 

 rounding grass ; and though it did not show so great a relish for it 

 as it did for the thorn-shoots, it ate it, both then and afterwards, in 

 such large quantities as proved that it naturally forms a by no means 

 inconsiderable portion of its food. 



In disposition this species much resembles R. keitloa — neither 

 often charging without provocation, though they will puff and snort 

 and show a disposition to do so ; and it may also be said to be the 

 more gregarious as well as the most common, herds of from five to 

 fifteen being sometimes seen in unusually favoured localities. It 

 undoubtedly exists in all the country S.E. of the Zambesi, being 

 especially plentiful in some parts of Zululand. Whether it or the 

 species I shall next describe under the name of R. bicornis minor is 

 the one spoken of by Andersson on the west, I am unable to sa}', as 

 he gives no measurements, though the head and horns depicted in 

 one of his plates resemble those of the latter. Travellers in Central 

 and Northern Africa speak of R. bicornis as existing without giving 

 any details by which it can be identified ; and though, for reasons to 

 be hereafter given, I imagine the smaller species is alluded to in 

 Northern Africa, I cannot of course be in any way certain. 



The distinctive characteristics of R. bicornis minor are very marked. 

 Its average measurements are as follows : — 



ft. in. 



Length from nose to base of tail 10 4 



Height at the shoulder about 4 6 



Circumference about 8 



Average length of the anterior horn .... 010 

 Average length of the posterior horn . . 5 



Sometimes specimens are found with the front horn 13 or 14 inches 

 in length, and the posterior in proportion ; but they are uncommon. 

 The head is smaller in proportion than that of any other species, 

 while the upper lip protrudes to a greater degree, and the eye is 

 unusually small. Its foot is also smaller in proportion to its body 

 than that of any of the others. Its food is, as I have before said, 

 solely the leaves and branches of thorns ; and it is scarcely ever found 

 out of thorn-jungle, though R. bicornis major is often found in other 

 coverts. Its disposition is savage and morose to the very last degree. 

 It continually attacks without other provocation than the mere sight 

 of a human being affords ; and it will follow the scent of the human 

 foot for some distance. "When seen without the observer's proximity 

 being suspected, it is generally heard grumbling and grunting out its 

 Proc. Zool. Soc— 1876," No. VIII. 8 



