There is one more point. I have never seen it recorded, although it may be known to sportsmen, that the horn of a rhinoceros is not tightly fixed like the tusk of an elephant or the horn of a buffalo, but can be moved backwards and forwards to a certain extent upon its root, like a loose tooth. I noticed this in the African rhinoceros that has just died, when it first reached the Gardens five years ago, and I verified it on the dead animal. That the looseness of the horn was not an individual peculiarity is shown by its occurrence also in our young living specimen from Uganda, forming part of the King's collection. In the Indian animal the horn was worn to a mere stump, giving no grip or leverage whereby its mobility could be tested.
Reason of death old age, Male, London
Old male London Zoo at death. Greatest girth, 12 ft
That the looseness of the horn was not an individual peculiarity is shown by its occurrence also in our young living specimen from Uganda, forming part of the King's collection.
Within the last two months the Society [in London] has lost two of its finest show animals, namely, a nearly (perhaps quite) adult female East African rhinoceros purchased in 1906, In neither case was the exact age known, but the former was probably about seven years old, Although for three months after her arrival, the African rhinoceros, probably from being taken from her dam before weaning, did not thrive well, and once or twice since showed signs of delicacy, her death was quite unexpected. Even in the morning preceding the night of her death she was moving about her inclosure and feeding just as usual. She succumbed, however, to broncho-pneumonia, and post-mortem examination proved several of her organs to be unhealthy, her liver in particular showing the character which has inspired the expression 'drunkard's liver' from its common ascription to alcoholism in man.
Within the last two months the Society [in London] has lost two of its finest show animals, namely, a nearly (perhaps quite) adult female East African rhinoceros purchased in 1906, and an old male Indian rhinoceros presented by the late Maharajah of Cooch Behar in 1886. In neither case was the exact age known, but the former was probably about seven years old, while the latter, I infer from the information as to his size on arrival given to me by the keeper, to have been about 31 or 32. The Indian rhinoceros died of old age, and in this connection it is interesting to recall that the last example of this species that died in the Gardens from that cause was known to have been well over fourty years. Hence in rhinoceroses, as in man, senile changes may prove fatal at very varying periods of the individuals life.
In the late spring the zoo will receive from India a large and valuable consignment of animals, the gift of his Majesty King George. Two keepers will shortly be sent to Calcutta to bring home the collection. It contains a young rhinoceros, which will help to fill the gap caused by the death of the old male Indian rhinoceros.
Reason of death broncho-pneumonia, Female, London
Old male in London Zoo at death. It was impossible to weigh him entire, but all that could be collected of his cut-up remains, including the food contents of his intestines, scaled 3612 lbs avoirdupois - that is to say, nearly 1400 lb less than one that died in the gardens in 1854, whose weight computed in the same way, was recorded by Owen as about 5000 lbs. It must be remembered, however, that the animal we have just lost had eaten very little during the weeks preceding his death, and was considerably wasted at the time. Nevertheless, the difference is surprising and makes one suspect some error in the computation published by Owen. It is amusing, however, to compare the weights of these two animals with Rowland Ward's record of 1010 lb. barely the weight of a carriage horse, for a living animal. Since there is no comment on the size of the specimen in question, the compiler spposedly presumed the weight to be that of an adult animal. Obvously it must have been quite young.
Male in London Zoo, 31 years old. The dimensions of this animal after death were as follows: Height at withers, 5 ft 10 ? inch Height at croup, 6 ft ? inch The height being taken between two upright broomsticks tangential to the spine and the soles of the feet. In Ward's Records of Big game the height of 4 specimens shot by the Maharajah of Cooch Behar and presumably measured in the same way, are given as 6 ft 6 in., 6 - 4 ?, 6 - 1 and 6 - ?. Thus our specimen was somewhat below the average. But I am quite convinced he never stood that height when alive. By the scale on the central bar of his cage I formerly judged him to be roughly 5ft 6 in and I think the difference may be easily accounted for by the ?sagging' of the joints of his legs and the flattening of the soles of his feet under his great weight when standing. If this be so, it shows that post-mortem measurements of these huge beasts may give quite an exaggerated idea of their height when alive.
Old male in London Zoo at death. The dimensions of this animal after death were as follows: Length from nose to root of tail, 10 ft 3 inch
