On the Species of Rhinoceros whose Remains were found in a Fissure-cavern at Oreston in 1816

Abstract

I n the year 1816, during the course of the quarrying of the limestone-rock at Oreston for the construction of the Plymouth Breakwater, a cavernous fissure wag opened, containing numerous more or less fragmentary remains of Rhinoceros , but none of any other animal. Notice of this discovery was given by Mr. Whidbey, the engineer of the works, to Sir Joseph Banks, at whose instance the bones were submitted to Sir Everard Home for examination, by whom a short paper on the subject was communicated to the Royal Society, which was published in the ‘Philosophical Transactions’ for 1817. This paper contains little more than a mere enumeration of the bones and teeth, which are all assigned to Rhinoceros ; and it was considered probable by Sir Everard Home that they belonged to three individuals. In 1821 several other cavities in the limestone, of the same kind, were encountered, in one of which, amongst other mammalian remains, chiefly of Bear, a single tooth of Rhinoceros was met with, “lying apart from the rest;” this is described by Sir E. Home as the “fourth grinder from the front, right side, of the Single-horned Rhinoceros.” The above appear to have been the only Rhinocerine remains discovered at Oreston; for, although in 1823 a further set of caverns was laid open, whose contents have been ably described by Mr. Clift in the ‘Philosophical Transactions’ for 1824, nothing belonging to Rhinoceros was there found. The specimens enumerated by Sir E. Home are about twenty two in number; but