766 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS, OR ZEEKOE. 
creature is a most extraordinary sound, and one that is well calculated to disturb the 
nerves of sensitive persons, especially if heard unexpectedly. The animals at the 
Zoological Gardens make the very roof ring with the strange unearthly sounds which 
they emit. In their native state it is very difficult to ascertain even approximately the 
number of a herd, as the animals are continually diving and rising, and never appear 
simultaneously above the surface of the water. ' 
The creature is generally a harmless one, and need not be much dreaded. Sometimes, 
however, it becomes angry if molested in its watery home, and will then make a violent 
attack upon the object that has excited its anger. One of these animals, whose calf had 
been speared on the previous day, made at the boat in which Dr. Livingstone was sitting, 
and drove her head against it with such force that she lifted the forepart of the boat 
completely out of the water, capsized one of the black oarsmen fairly into the river, and 
forced the whole crew to jump ashore. 
Although in its native river the female Hippopotamus is a most kind and affectionate 
mother, the tame animal does not display such excellent qualities. The female Hippo- 
potamus in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris has twice been a mother, and twice has killed 
her offspring. On the last occasion she seemed to have been seized with a sudden fit of 
anger, for the marks of her teeth were only too plain on the poor little beast when its 
dead body was discovered, and her tusks had penetrated into its lungs. On the first 
occasion she killed it from sheer awkwardness ; and after carrying it about on her neck 
in the proper manner, she bruised it so severely in her clumsy efforts to teach her offspring 
the proper mode of getting out of the bath, that it never recovered from the hurts which 
it received. 
The Hippopotamus has for years been extinct in Europe, but the fossil remains of the 
animal are found abundantly in the London clay, showing that in some remote age the 
Hippopotamus must have traversed the plains of England, and wallowed in its rivers, 
There is another species of Hippopotamus, which is smaller than that which has just been 
described, and is termed Hippopotamus Liberiensis. It is a native of Western Africa, and 
is remarkable for only having two incisors in the lower jaw. 
DASYPIDA. 
Tus small but important family includes the Manis, the Armadillo, the Ant-eater, 
ant the Platypus, or Duck-bill. 
The Phatagin is one of the numerous species that compose the strange genus of Manis. 
All these animals are covered with a series of horny plates, sharp pointed and keen edged, 
that lie with their points directed towards the tail, and overlap each other lke the tiles 
apon the roof of a house ; being the natural prototype of the metal scale-armour that 
was prevalent in the days of chivalry, and of the horn-scale bucklers that have been 
employed both in ancient and modern times. This defence of scales is not, however, 
entirely of a negative character, like the shell of the tortoise, but can be converted at will 
into a powerful weapon of offence towards all who come too hastily in contact with it. 
When the Manis is pursued, and is unable to escape, it rolls itself into a ball, after the 
manner of the hedgehog, so that the sharp-edged and acutely-pointed scales stand boldly 
outward, and can inflict very unpleasant wounds on the hand of man or the mouth of 
predaceous beast. The head is the most vulnerable part of the Manis, but as it always 
takes care to hide its head within the curve of the body, it has little fears on that 
score. 
The fore-claws of the Phatagin are very large, and are employed for the purpose of 
tearing down the nests of the termite, or white-ant, as it is more popularly called, so as to 
enable it to feed upon the inmates, as they run about in confusion at the destruction of 
their premises. Ants, termites, and various insects are the favourite food of the Phatagin, 
which sweeps them up by means of its long and extensile tongue, caring nothing for their 
