Nomenclature and type localities of certain old world mammals

The name Rhinoceros lasiotis in currently credited to P. L. Sclater (Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1872, p. 493, pl. 23, November, 1872). There appear, however, to be at least two earlier and valid uses of this name by Sclater (Nature, vol. 6, p. 519, October 24, 1872; Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, vol. 10, p. 299, October, 1872). At the meeting of the Zoological Society on March 19, 1872, he had announced the arrival of the living animal, but had not bestowed the name lasiotis upon it at that time; this name was inserted in the published account of the meeting, which did not appear till November, 1872. In the meantime, 'in a communication made to Section D of the British Association at Brighton on the 16th of August, I ... proposed to call it Rhinoceros lasiotis' (Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1872, p. 790, 1873). To this Sclater adds in a footnote: 'See 'Times' of August 19, p. 5; and 'Athenaeum' August 24, p. 243; also 'Nature,' October 24, p. 518.' Prior to the appearance in print of Slater's own use of lasiotis, Frank Buckland described in 'Land and Water' for August 10, 1872, under the name of R. sumatrensis, a hairy rhinoceros from 'Malacca' - evidently the one that became the type of Ceratorhinus niger J. E. Gray (1873). He then adds the following paragraph: 'It will be remembered that I described another hairy rhinoceros sometime since, but it appears that this arrival is the true hairy rhinoceros. The other beast, which comes from Chittagong, therefore, is a new species hitherto unknown and undescribed. It has been named by Dr. Sclater Rhiceros lasiotis, or the hairy-eared rhinoceros. It has a tuft of hair like a curtain fringe round the edge of each ear. Tle hair on the body of this animal is like the hair on a baby's head, whereas the hair on the last arrival is stiff like a hedge hog's bristles.' The above appears to be unquestionably the original reference for Rhinoceros lasiotis. Since Sclater is evidently not responsible for the accompanying reference and description, Buckland must, it seems (under Article 21 of the International Rules), be credited with the authorship. The original reference may then he cited as: Rhinoceros lasiotis Buckland, Land and Water, August 10, 1872. In current usage the name will stand as Dicerorhinus sumatrensis lasiotis (Buckland). The type locality is not exactly the town of Chittagong, Bengal, as might he inferred from Lydekker (Cat. Ungulate Mammals Brit. Mus., vol. 5, p. 51, 1916). The type specimen was captured south of Chittagong, at a distance from that point marched by elephants in about 16 hours (Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1872, p. 493, 1872).