152 NEIGHBORS WITH CLAWS AXJ) HOOFS. 



then suddenly dived, but did not reappear for such a long 

 time, that he thought it had had a fit, and was lying 

 drowned at the bottom of the tank. He therefore made 

 arrangements to have the large plug pulled out this 

 plug had been expressly fixed for this purpose and to 

 run off the tank quickly, so as to resuscitate the little- 

 beast, if possible. They were just going to do this, when 

 Master " G-uy Fawkes " suddenly reappeared, shaking his 

 funny little horse-like ears, from the bottom of his tank, 

 with a hippopotamic grin on his face, as much as to say : 

 " Don't be frightened, I am all right ; you don't know 

 all about me yet." The little beast had remained, with- 

 out blowing or taking breath, actually under water for 

 nearly twenty minutes. The parents have never been 

 known to be under water much over three minutes. 



3. I suspect Nature has given this wonderful power 

 of remaining so long under water to the young hippopot- 

 amus, first of all, to enable it to suck when the water 

 has been clear, Mr. Bartlett has frequently seen it suck- 

 ing under water ; and, secondly, in order that it may be 

 concealed from its enemies, though I am not at all certain 

 but that a large crocodile would seize and swallow a young 

 hippopotamus, as a jack would swallow a roach. 



4. Master Guy Fawkes, nevertheless, had one day a 

 narrow escape of his life. In order to clean out the tank, 

 one fine, sunny morning, the mother and child were let 

 out into the pond outside. They both remained in the 

 water as long as it suited them, and then the mother 

 walked out, with that peculiar stately gait which distin- 

 guishes this gigantic animal. The little one attempted to 

 follow, but, unfortunately, he chose a landing-place at the 

 corner nearest the giraffe's inclosure, just at the very point 

 where there were no steps. The poor little fellow struggled 

 hard to get out, but could not, falling back into the water. 



