THE RHINOCEROS.
We have had occasion, in different parts of this article, to mention this animal, and particularly as occurring in Northern Asia, and in our own country. We need not here, therefore, say more respecting its localities, than that it also occurs in England, in France, in Italy, and in Germany. Pallas found one complete, even with its skin on, on the banks of the Wilhoui. We must also, however, remind our readers, that even in our own island it has been found both in caves and in the alluvial soil. It has hither to been imagined, that the whole of these belong to one species, and that it does not agree with any of the three living ones now known, namely, that of Sumatra, that of Asia, which has one horn, and that of Africa, which has two.
The skull o the fossil rhinoceros is generally larger than in any of the living species, and there are also some differences in its form. It has two horns; but the form of the skull differs from that of the two-horned rhinoceros of Africa. There is a considerable space in it between
the bases of the horns, whereas in the existing species they touch ; a difference which depends on the greater le, gth of the skull. Besides other points of difference, there are considerable ones in the form of the nasal bones, whence the eye is placed more backward in this than in the living species. M. Cuvier thinks, that the fossil animal possessed no cutting teeth in the upper jaw. As some cutting teeth have, however, been found, it is sus pected that there may possibly be two fossil species in stead of only one. Curler also thinks, that not only the fossil rhinoceros had a larger head than the living one, but that the animal was altogether larger in proportion to the height of the limbs, and consequently of a different form. It appeared to have had very long hair on the feet ; a probable provision for the coldness of the climate which it inhabited, as the present species have none.