486 UNGULATA. 



GENUS HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



The Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus amphibius (Plate XXXVI), is, after 

 the elephant and the rhinoceros, the largest of terrestrial mammalia; its 

 absolute height is about five feet, as its legs are extremely shoit, but the 

 actual bulk of its body is very great indeed. The head is nearly square 

 and very bulky ; the small cars and the oblique eyes, as well as the im- 

 mense nostrils, are the highest points of a plane formed by the face and 

 brow; the muzzle is large and swelling; the upper-lip, descending in 

 frf)nt and at the sides, partly hides the under-lip ; the nostrils are sur- 

 rounded by a muscidar apparatus which closes them under water; the 

 upper part of the head is devcjid of hair, and is pinkish in color. The 

 rest ot the huge body, which is equally hairless, is of a brown color, 

 curiously marked with lines like the cracks in old varnish, and dappled 

 with some very black spots which can only be seen in certain lights and 

 on close examination. The tail is very short and has a few bristle-like 

 hairs. Each foot has four toes, each enclosed in its hoof. The mouth is 

 enormously large, extending nearly from eye to eye, and is armed with 

 teeth which differ from those of the SuiD/E, less by their number than 

 by their shape ; the incisors of the lower jaw lie almost horizontally with 

 their points turned forward, while those of the upper-jaw are placed 

 vertically ; the canines are large and curved, forming almost a semicircle, 

 and have their outer surface deeply channeled. The teeth are very solid 

 and close-grained, and are extremely white in color ; a large tooth will 

 weigh five to cigiit pounds. With tiieir teeth the Hippopotamus can cut 

 grass as neatly as if mown with a scythe, and can sever a pretty thick 

 stem of the bushes by the river. 



The Hippopotamus is, as its name imi^Iics, most aquatic in its habits. 

 It generally prefers fresh water, but it is not at all averse to the sea, and 

 will sometimes prefer salt water to fresh. It is an admirable swimmer 

 and diver, and is able to remain lielow the surface for a very consideral)lc 

 length of time. In common with the elepliant, ii possesses the power of 

 sinking at will, which is the more extraordinary when its size is consid- 

 ered. It usually prefers the stillest reaches of the river, where it finds 

 an abundance of aquatic plants. Only when this supply of food is scanty 

 docs it (juit tiie stream. Possessed of an enormous ajipetitc, having a 

 stomach that is capable of containing five or six bushels of nutriment, 

 and furnished with such powerful instrinnents, the Hippopotamus is a 



