Land and Water, 6 January 1872, vol. 13, p.10
Hairy rhinoceros at Calcutta.
The following is an extract from a letter which I have just received from a friend in Calcutta: “my dear Mr Lee, you asked me to write to you whenever I could find anything to write about. The other morning when riding through Jawn Bazaar I was stopped by an immense crowd who were apparently very much interested in something in the middle of the road. Working my way through I found the obstruction was caused by a huge animal which had taken a fit into its head to lie down there, and no effort of its attendants could persuade it to get up again. As a last resort they thought about 50 buckets of water over it. This had the desired effect and I then saw that it was a female rhinoceros, with two horns, of the species that, to the best of my recollection, I have neither seen nor heard of before. Its ears are very large and have a fringe of long red hair, the whole of the body being also covered with reddish hair about one and ½ inch long. It has only one large fold placed just behind the shoulder. There is another, though not a very distinct one, in front of the thigh. The skin is smooth, somewhat like a hippopotamus, which animal one might almost take it for when looking at it from behind as it lies down. For what the natives told me it is about four years and a half old, and would when fully adult prove ‘hatte ka mafie’, being now about 5 feet high. My enquiries as to its future destination were not very successful, but they thought it was going to England, which I most sincerely hope is the fact is, so far as I am aware, it is unique. Should I learn anything more about it, or meet with other curiosities, I will let you know. – Calcutta, Dec. 5, 1871 O.L.” - as my correspondent is a good zoologist, I hope the authorities of the zoological Society will make some enquiry about this rhinoceros. Possibly they have already done so. Henry Lee.
Henry Lee (1826? – 31 October 1888) was an English naturalist, known as an aquarium director and author.
