SIZE OF THE IIIPPOPOTAML'S. 489 



forbidding and appalling, and 1 am not surprised to hear of 

 people losing their presence of mind on being suddenly 

 brought into contact with the monster, whose horrible jaws, 

 when fully distended, afford ample accoiiwiodation for a man.'"' 



The size of the H. amjildbius is enormous. The adult 

 male attains a length of eleven or twelve feet, the circum- 

 ference of its body being nearly the same. Its height, how- 

 ever, seldom much exceeds four and a half feet. The female 

 is a good deal smaller than the male, but in general appear- 

 ance the sexes are nearly alike. 



The following dimensions of the female hippopotamus at 

 the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park, may enable those 

 who are curious in the matter to form some notion of the 

 progressive growth of the animal — at least in a state of con- 

 finement — when young : 



On its arrival, July 22, 1854. At present, Jan., 1856. 



From nose to tip of tail 8 ft. 4 in. " 10 ft. 1 in. 



Circumference of body 7 1 "89 



Height at shoulder 3 5 " 3 10 



The hippopotamus, when in the water — I won't say its 

 "native element," for it seems to belong as much to the land 

 as the deeps — swims and dives like a duck, and, considering 

 its g;reat bulk and unwieldiness of form, in a manner perfect- 

 ly astonishing. When on terra jirma, however, what with 

 its dumpy legs and the weight they have to support, its 

 progress is any thing but rapid. 



" The hippopotamus, amidst the flood 

 Flexile and active as the smallest swimmer, 

 But on the bank ill-balanced and infirm." 



Even were the beast to charge — provided the locality was 

 tolerably open — a man would have no great difficulty in get- 

 ting out of his way. It is seldom met with at any consid- 



* In an old painting at Hampton Court representing the Last Judg- 

 ment, the mouth of the hippopotamus is said to be figured as the en- 

 trance of the " place of the wicked." 



X 2 



