 Reference Base  Additions to the Society's Menagerie during the months of... |
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Sclater, P.L., 1872. Additions to the Society's Menagerie during the months of June, July, August and September 1872. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1872 November 5: 790-794, pl. 67, figs. 1-5
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Captive |
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Captivity |
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All Rhino Species |
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[p.790]
1. A female two-homed Rhinoceros, stated to have been captured in Malacca, purchased of Mr. W. Jamrach, August 2nd, for the sum of £600. As soon as this animal arrived in the Gardens it became obvious that it was of a different species from the female two-horned Rhinoceros previously purchased of Mr. Jamrach (note: See antea, p. 493, pi. Xxiii); and that consequently there must be two species of this form of Rhinoceros in existence.
On reference to authorities it appeared evident to me that the animal last received was the true R. sumatrensis of previous writers. [Rhinoceros sumatrensis of Cuvier, Regne An. i. p. 240 (1817), founded on Bell's description of an animal killed in Sumatra, published in Phil. Trans. 1793. Raffles in 1820 named the same animal R. sumatranus (Linn. Trans, xiii. p. 268). ] This might have been expected from the locality in which it was obtained, the fauna of Malacca being notoriously similar to that of Sumatra.
Under these circumstances it became, in my opinion, necessary to give a new name to the animal previously received from Chittagong ; and in a communication made to Section D of the British Association at Brighton on the 16th of August last, I accordingly proposed to call it Rhinoceros lasiotis, [See 'Times' of August 19, p. 5; and ' Athenaeum,' August 24, p. 243; also Nature,' October 24, p. 518.] from the peculiar long hairs which
[p.791]
border the outer edge of the ear-conch (see fig. 1), and which are of themselves sufficient to render the animal easily recognizable from R. sumatrensis. Dr. J. Anderson, in his excellent description of our Chittagong animal under the name of R. sumatrensis (antea, p. 130), has specially commented on this peculiarity, but, not being aware that he was dealing with a different species, was inclined to think it might be individual. In R. sumatrensis (verus) (fig. 5, p. 793) the ears are filled with short bristly hairs internally, but there is no special elongated fringe on the outer edge. In R. lasiotis (fig. 3, p. 792) the interior of the ear-conch is nearly naked.
Our Sumatrau Rhinoceros, although an adult or rather aged animal, was much smaller in bulk than the hairy-eared, and at least 6 inches less in height at the shoulder*. Another point of distinction between the two animals is the longer tail of R. sumatrensis, which is only covered by short black straggling bristles. In R. lasiotis the tail is shorter and tufted, terminating in long brown hairs.
The distance between the ears is much greater in R. lasiotis than in R. sumatrensis, as will be seen by the accompanying drawings (figs. 2 and 4, pp. 792, 793) ; and there can be no doubt that the skulls of the two species, when they can be compared, will exhibit corresponding differences.
The skin of R. lasiotis is smoother and paler in colour; the hairs are longer and finer and of a rufescent hue, giving the animal a general colouring of lightish brown. In R. sumatrensis the skin is much darker and the hairs are short and bristly.
* Mr. Bartlett's measurements of our five Rhinoceroses (August 24, 1872) are as follow : — (in ft. and inches):
1. R. unicornis male, 5 ft 4 inches – height at shoulder
2. R. unicornis female, 5 ft 2 inches
3. R. sumatrensis female, 3 ft 8 inches
4. R. lasiotis female 4 ft 4 inches
5. R.bicornis male, 4 ft 6 inches.
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