116 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros simus) can almost be said to be extinct; its black 

 brother {R. hicornis) is now rarely found south of the Zambesi River, and 

 even the Black Wildebeest is in danger of extinction. A brief period of 

 sixty-three years has elapsed since Captain (afterwards Sir) Cornwallis 

 Harris,* while encamped near the present site of Pretoria, at the foot of the 

 Cashan Mountains (Magaliesberg), encountered large numbers of Rhino- 

 ceroses, and recorded what he had seen in the following words : — ' The 

 country now hterally presented the appearance of a menagerie, the hosts 

 of Rhinoceroses in particular that daily exhibited themselves almost ex- 

 ceeding belief. Whilst the camp was being formed an ugly head might be 

 seen protruded from every bush, and the possession of the ground was 

 often stoutly disputed. In the field these animals lost no opportunity of 

 rendering themselves obnoxious, frequently charging at my elbow when in 

 the act of drawing the trigger at some other object, and pursuing our 

 horses with indefatigable and ludicrous industry, carrying their noses close 

 to the ground, moving with a mincing gait, which ill beseemed so ungainly 

 and ponderous a quadruped, and uttering the while a sound between a 

 grunt and a smothered whistle.' And, again : ' On our way from the 

 wagons 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.' To-day the Cashan 

 Mountains are topped with frowning forts overlooking a great town — 

 Pretoria. 



" In Pretoria a collection of animals was started some months before the 

 war broke out ; the Government bought a very valuable and extensive pro- 

 perty bordering on the Aapies River, at the northern extremity of the town, 

 and presented it to the National Museum for the purpose of erecting a new 

 museum building and starting a Dieren-tuin (Zoological Garden). In 

 September, 1899, a good start had been made at the building of the 

 new museum, and quite a fine collection of animals for the Zoo had already 

 been secured by Dr. Gunning ; when I last saw them they were flourish- 

 ing in their extensive runs. It was a Staats or Government institution, 

 but we hoped soon to frame a scheme which would have made it a public 

 concern. A few months ago there was some correspondence in the local 

 papers as to starting a Zoo at Cape Town, but I for one do not think it is 

 advisable to make the first attempt here. Mr. Rhodes has already a fine 

 collection of animals on his Groote-Schuur estate, and the public have free 

 access to the beautiful grounds. I consider Pretoria to be the most suitable 

 place in South Africa for an extensive National Zoological Garden. In 

 arriving at this conclusion I have borne the following facts in mind : — 



* 'Wild Sports of Southern Africa,' pp. 182, 183 (fifth edition, 1852). 



