The Elephant, Tapir, Hyrax, and Rhinoceros 185 



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'M^X.-ii 



Photo 111/ C J II ,'sln 



i-",. 



BLACK AFRICAN EHINOCEEOSES. 

 A spltindid snapslicit of two black African rlLinoceroses taken on the o^^en veldt. They iveve afte^\YarJ^^ shot hy the party. 



The fact, however, that the white rhinoceros has never been encountered by any other traveller 

 in Central Africa seems to show that the animal is either \'ery rare in those districts, or that 

 it has an exceedingly limited range. 



In the early years of the nineteenth century the square-mouthed or white rhinoceros 

 was found in large numbers over the whole of South Africa from the Orange River to the 

 Zambesi, except in the waterless portions of the Kalahari Desert, or those parts of the country 

 which are covered with rugged stony hills or dense jungle. 



Speaking of his journey in 1837 through the western part of what is now the Transvaal 

 Colony, Captain (afterwards Sir) Cornwallis Harris wrote : '-On om- way from the waggons to a hill 

 not half a mile distant, we counted no less than twenty-two of the white species of rhinoceros, 

 and were compelled in self-defence to slaughter four. On one occasion I was besieged in a bush 

 by three at once, and had no little difficulty in beating off the assailants." Even so lately as 

 thirty years ago the white rhinoceros was still to be met with in fair numbers in Ovampoland and 

 other districts of M^estern South Africa, whilst 

 it was quite plentiful in all the uninhabited r^^---:- -- 7 ---■ -r'~-'-'-"-':---^---v--?'--7"~i-^:-;- v-::-,—^ 



parts of Eastern South Africa from Zululand 



to the Zambesi. In 1872 and 1873, whilst 



elephant-hunting in the uninhabited parts of 



Matabililand, I encountered white rhinoceroses 



almost daily, and often saw several in one 



day. At the present time, however, unless it 



should jjrove to be numerous in some as yet 



unexplored districts of North Central Africa, 



this strange and interesting animal must be 



counted one of the rarest of existing mammals, 



and in Southern Africa I fear it must soon 



become extinct. A few still exist amongst „ ,J, ^ '"-..^ '-■-, ..»'■- 



the wild loquat groves of Northern Mashona- / / j ~ *^^. ->---. ^.. -<.--<-~^-- ...' 



land, and there are also a few surviving in one or the same rhinocekoses dead. 



Zululand: but I fear that even with the This plctm-e gives some idea of the slz^ of the commonest surviving species. 



