BURCHELL'S RHINOCEROS 



439 



BURCHELL'S RHINOCEROS (Rhinoceros simus). 



Next to the Indian elephant this is the largest mammal that has 



trodden the earth in modern times ; and its practical extermination 



cannot fail to be a matter of lasting regret. Its huge bulk, bluntly 



truncate muzzle, which has no prehensile tip, the great length of the 



skull, and the enormous front horn, with its expanded base, form the 



most striking external characteristics of this species. And on looking 



at the skull it will be found that the molar teeth are of quite a different 



type of structure from those of the preceding species ; being, in fact, 



adapted for chewing grass. In walking, the animal carried its head 



low, so that in examples in which the front horn bends forward, its tip 



became worn by being pushed along the ground. It is difficult to 



surmise the reason for the application of the name " white rhinoceros " 



to this species, unless, indeed, it be that Cape specimens were lighter 



coloured than any seen in the districts to the north. 



Distribution. — South and South-East Africa, in suitable localities, as far 



north as the Zambesi. Exterminated early in the century to the 



south of the Orange River ; and now represented at the most by a 



few survivors in North-East Mashonaland, and possibly by others in 



the reedy swamps at the junction of the Black and White Umvolosy 



rivers. Between the Zambesi and Orange rivers the species was 



abundant less than half a century ago ; Andersson alone having killed 



sixty in the course of a few months. Till a few years ago this 



rhinoceros was unrepresented by adult skins or skeletons in any 



British Museum ; and it is to the credit of Messrs. Coryndon, Eyre 



and Varndell that complete examples were secured before it became 



too late. 



North of the Zambesi there exists a rhinoceros {R.. holmivoodi) at 

 present known only by single horns, which appears to be a near ally 

 of this species, although it was at first regarded as a variety of the 

 common rhinoceros. 



Length on 

 outside curve. 



Circumference. 



Front 

 Horn. 



-624 

 S64 



44 

 43l 



Rear 

 Horn. 



Front 

 Horn. 



22i 



about 



20 

 23f 



Rear 

 Horn. 



Locality. 



South Africa . 



Do. 



Do. 

 ? 

 South Africa . 



Owner. 



Col. W. Gordon Gumming. 



British Museum. 



Gol. W. Gordon Gumming. 



British Museum. 



A. Beit. 



