122 BIG-GAME SHOOTING IN UPPER BURMA 



(R. sondaicus), so called to distinguish it from 

 the ' great one-horned rhinoceros ' (R. unicornis 

 Indicus), which is only found in Assam, and two 

 species of the two-horned rhinoceros (R. lasiotis 

 and R. sumatrensis). It is this last beast which 

 is generally met with in Burma, R. sondaicus 

 being very rarely found, probably owing to its 

 inhabiting the dense and almost impenetrable 

 jungles of Lower Burma, Tenasserim and Tavoy. 

 R. lasiotis is found, I believe, only in Tenasserim 

 and Arracan. It is satisfactory to know that 

 R. sumatrensis, which is the smallest of the lot, 

 and the most hairy, possesses a considerably 

 longer horn (the front one) than that of any 

 other species. Two horns in the British Museum 

 measure respectively 32 in. and 27 in., with a 

 girth of 17 in. The back horn is often merely a 

 knob. In the female both horns are apparently 

 quite short. 



The difficulty in bagging a rhino in Burma lies 

 not so much in the rarity of the beast as in his 

 habits, or, to speak more correctly, his habitat. 

 They are extremely local, and unless you can, 

 so to speak, put your finger on a spot known to 

 hold them, you may wander countless miles over 

 the most likely ground without your eyes being 

 gladdened by the sight of even an old track. 

 Hunting rhino in Burma is, in fact, something 

 like hunting serow, except that the latter beast 

 is more widely distributed, and so is easier found. 



