THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 



had been complaining bitterly of its depredations, 

 and Government gave a permit for the Hippo's 

 destruction. The bull was of unusual size. 



From the Zambesi it is to be found in suitable 

 localities northw^ards through Africa to the Sahara 

 Desert and the Nile. 



At the Port Ehzabeth Museum we have frag- 

 ments of bones, tusks and teeth of these animals 

 from the majority of the districts of the eastern 

 portion of this province. Some have been found 

 in river-beds, which have been dry probably for 

 many centuries. They were evidently abundant 

 at one time where the city of Port Elizabeth now 

 stands, for it is a common occurrence to find their 

 remains from a few feet to 40 feet below the surface 

 in the vicinity of, and on the beach. 



A small spruit, known as the Baakens River, runs 

 through the city. At some remote time this spruit 

 was probably a fairly large river, with many deep 

 pools in which Hippos lived. The complete skeleton 

 of one, and a portion of another, was excavated within 

 a hundred yards of the beach at the mouth of this 

 river, which was formerly a large lagoon. 



When excavating kitchen middins at Port Eliza- 

 beth and adjacent districts, it is also a common 

 occurrence to dig out Hippo bones, teeth and tusks ; 

 indicating that probably a pre-bushman race, of which 

 we now possess evidence, and possibly the Bushmen 

 and Hottentots hunted and slew these animals. 



Mr. T. Liefeldt, who was born in Kaffraria in 



