Doubt has been entertained as to whether a species of Rhinoceros be still existent in the island of Borneo, although the discovery of two teeth in a cavern in Upper Sarawak some years ago had shown conclusively that, if not yet living, it was only recently extinct.
It may interest some of your readers to know that the horns and teeth of a kind of Rhinoceros are not infrequently brought down to Sibu by kayans and Kinniahs paying their revenue for Upper Rejang, and by others who come from the upper waters of the Kuti and Balungan to exchange their gutta, guliga, and camphor for salt, brass pots, &c. Both horns and teeth are used by Malays and Chinese in certain medicinal preparations and as charms, the value of the horns at present being $I per tahel, and hence these objects are generally bought up quickly and dispersed beyond the hope of recovery. I lately had an opportunity of examining five horns brought from the Upper Kuti : the largest measured perpendicularly stood 82 inches iro height, but the base had been pared away; and. even larger ones are said to be obtainable.‑It was slightly recurved and of a shining black colour.‑A portion of a fresh tooth was brought to Sibu a fen days ago, and from all I can ascertain the animal is not uncommon in the Upper Rejang, and probably about the upper waters of all the greater rivers of the island. The Kayans call the Rhinoceros Temadu, a name applied on the coast to the wild ox : they are said to destroy it with spears only and use the flesh as an article of diet. The close affinity of the Bornean fauna with that of Sumatra and Malacca would lead us to expect a species identical with, or but slightly varying from the Sumatran Rhinoceros; and accordingly we find the Bornean species to be furnished with two horns, and therefore quite distinct from the one horned Javan variety. It may prove to be to either the Sumatran Rhinoceros or the rare hair' d variety of that animal lately discovered, or a species distinct from both and peculiar to Borneo.'n
X. H. EVERETT.
Sarawak Gazette in March 31, 1967 pp.
110
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