NO. I 



THE WHITE RHINOCEROS HELLER 



3 1 



examined and measured do not show any important differences from 

 Lado skulls of the same age, with the exception of the greater eleva- 

 tion of the occipital portion of the skull. This is a really important 

 difference, the index to which is the depth of the dorsal concavity or 

 dorsal profile of the skull. 



The differences in size of horns mentioned by Lydekker may exist, 

 but the basis for comparison is yet very unsatisfactory. The few 

 horns known from South Africa are exceptionally long ones. They 

 have been selected from many hundreds and fail to show what the 

 average was. Some of the few individuals which were last shot in 

 South Africa are now in the museums of South Africa and England. 

 It is a matter of much significance in this connection to find that these 

 bpecimens show horns of no greater size than those recently secured 

 in the Lado. The largest horned specimen in the Smithsonian Afri- 

 can Collection is that of a female shot by Kermit Roosevelt. This 

 horn measures 29*4 inches in length and exhibits the peculiar forward 

 pitch which is not infrequently shown by specimens from South 

 Africa. The pitch forward in this case is extreme, the point coming 

 in contact with the ground in feeding, so that the point is worn flat 

 on its outer face. No other Lado horn showing this peculiarity of 

 curvature has been seen. The longest horn in Major Powell-Cotton's 

 collection is 36 inches in length, and in shape curves backwards in the 

 normal way. This is also from a female specimen and is the longest 

 one which has been examined. Horns measuring 40 inches, however, 

 have been reported by traders in the district. 



The flesh measurements of the specimens secured in the Lado by 

 the Smithsonian African Expedition fall somewhat short in standing 

 height and in length of head and body from those given by hunters 

 of the white rhinoceros of the South. One of the commonest 

 statements in the literature pertaining to the white rhinoceros is 

 the comparison of its size as being greater than that of any other 

 terrestrial mammal except the elephant. This is due to the exag- 

 gerated idea of its size given by sportsmen and is not based on 

 the examination of specimens by such writers. The following table 

 of measurements of skeletons shows conclusively how closely simi- 

 lar the Indian and the white rhinoceroses are in size. The flesh 

 measurements of South African specimens given by Harris and 

 by Coryndon greatly exceed the dimensions of any mounted speci- 

 mens from that region. Harris gave the standing height attained 

 by large bulls at the withers as from 6 feet 6 inches to 6 feet 8 

 inches. Coryndon records the heights of two bulls shot by him 

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