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Show 1030 DR. J. E. G R A Y O N T H E RHINOCEROTIDAE. [Dec. 12, Rhinoceros horn, Parsons, Phil. Trans. 1742, 1743, t. 3. f. 6. Rhinoceros oswellii, Gray, P. Z. S. 1853, p. 46, f. (horn) ; Ann. and Mag. N. H. xv. 145. Rhinoceros oswelli, Andersson, Lake Ngami, p. 386, f. (head), p. 388, f. (horn). Kobaaba, Baines, Land and Water, July 28, 1866, f. Hab. South Africa. I have not seen the skull of this species, and I do not believe there is one in any European Museum. Camper probably knew R. oswellii. He observes, " Cornu anterius A D in hoc specimene incurvum adeo fuit ut alteram E F H, tamquam inutile reddiderit. Vernm non ita in omnibus ; possideo alterius cranii partem, cujus cornu anterius rectum, et antrorsum inclinatum est."-Camper, I. c. 186. Mr. Baines gave a foetus of the Kobaaba to the Royal College of Surgeons (killed 3rd of June, 1862). He has shown me a series of drawings of the recently killed Kobaaba. One group represents the R. simus and R. oswellii side by side. The horns of the two are very different in appearance. Mr. Baines says Mr. Chapman was informed by the natives that they had never seen a young Kobaaba = R. oswellii. Mr. Baines says that it is possible that the horn, being worn away at the end by the constant friction on the front as it passes through the bushes, may bend forward in the older specimens. The Kaffirs make the horns of the cattle bend by scraping them on the sides towards which they wish them to turn. Schinz gives the name of niger to the Rhinoceros horn figured by Andersson; but he describes it as curved back, in the same words as he described the horns of the other African species. Camper compares the labial process to a finger, and says it is not unlike the lobe at the end of the trunk of the Elephant. See M . F. Fresnel's "Sur l'existence d'une espece unicorne de Rhinoceros dans la partie tropicale de l'Afrique" (Comptes Rendus, xxvi. 1848, p. 281). See also A. Smith's 'Illust. Zool. S. A.' t. 1, where he says the natives mention a one-horned African species. III. Skin smooth, even. Skull ? Internasal bony, short; the nasal, internasal, and the intermaxillaries united into one mass. Asia and Europe, fossil. 5. C(ELODONTA. Nose with two horns. Skull elongate ; face rather produced; nasal bones broad, rounded in front; cutting-teeth none ; intermaxillaries very short; internasal bony, uniting the nasals, the intermaxillary, and maxillse into one mass. Asia, Europe, Africa. Rhinoceros u narines cloisonnees, Cuvier, Oss. Foss. ii. 64. Ccelodonta, Brown, 1831. |
