Tiffs December. figure given b y Mr. K l e i n , which reprefents a pair. o F rhinoceros-homs of the natural fize. With refpeA to their fubftance and texture* thefe horns?' ieem to confift of parallel horny fibres, the extreme points o f which? on the lower half, efpecially on the pofterior part o f the foremoft horn, and on the greater part of the hind- moft, projeA in many places; fo that the furface in thofe parts is full of inequalities* and in fome places feels as- rough as a bruih. The upper part of the hems is fmooth' and plain, like thofe of oxen. The anterior horn belonging to the lefler o f the rhino— cerofes that we had ihot, was a foot"in length, and five" inches over- at the bafe. On the larger o f thefe animals - this horn was half, as long again, and feven inches in diameter .meafured at the fame part. This rhinoceros, however, did not exceed the other in bulk, in proportion to the fize o f its horns. Indeed,' in the cabinet of the Royal * Academy of Sciences,>.there is preferved a pair of-horns belonging. to the rhinoceros bicornis, i the foremoft of which'is twenty-two inches in length,. and the hindmoft fixteen. The diftance between thefe horns is fcarcely two -inches. - They differ likewile from the horns I faw in Africa, and 2 from thofe I brought with me, in being of a lighter-colour " and ftiaight, and at the fame time flat onthefides; fo that ' the hindmoft horn particularly, has'pretty iharp edges on - the upper part, both before and behind* Thefe horns« moft probably came from the northern parts o f Africa, as - they were purchafed at Naples by Baron Emanuel de G e e r during his travels, and were by him fent to his father, ther, the late-Marfhal d e G e e r , as an additional ornament „ .ffijL.. to his noble mufeum, together with which they were pre- fented by the Marihal’s illuftrious widow to the Royal Academy o f Sciences. This animal may be faid to be totally deftitutë o f hair, though’ there are a few fcattered dark briftly hairs about an inch’ long on the edges of the ears, -with a very few between and round about the horns. This is likewife the cafe arthe tip o f the tail. This is about an inch thick, ■ diminiihing by degrees from the root to the tip, which is - fomewhat enlarged in the fore part, and particularly in the hack part, and atthë fame time rounded off, but is flattened at the fides. • It is;direAly on the edges produced by this conformation, that there are to be feen fome ftrong ftiff hairs - an inch, or air inch anda half in length. - Such of them as ftand towards this creature’s hard and rough body, are vifibly worn down and ftunted. The feet* as may be feett in the figure,-are not much : wider than the legs. In the fore parts they are furniihed : each with three hoofs,-which do not projeA very much, < and of which the middlemoft is' the largeft and moft circular. The foies of tlie feet, like thofe of the elephant, are covered with a thicker and more callous ikin than the other parts; and are, if we except the'edges, (which are compofèd ; of the -hoofs) together -with a fiffure in the heel, fomewhat of a circular-form.- I chofe the leffer of the rhirioceroiès for thé pufpofe of : making the difteAioit, as well as a defcriptkm and drawing o f this animal. I and my people, making five in all, were not able, to ftir the carcafe, when, with a view to get at-it ? ' with-'
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