EHI3!fOCEBOS INDICUS. 233 



ticus, Blumenbacii. — li. Inermis, Lesson. — Figured F. Cuvibh, Menag. 

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



The Gkeat Indian Ehinoceros. 



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 incisors, not 

 always present. General color dusky black. 



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

 4 1 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 B. 



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 sportsman of its occurrence as far west as 

 Eohilcund, bat 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 Ber- 

 rampooter 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 frequently 

 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 favorite 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 seen of this species, of which 



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