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CENTRAL AFRICAN GAME AND ITS SPOOR. 



HIPPO (Hippopotamus amphibius). 



Chinyanja . . 

 Chiyao .... 

 Zulu (Ngoni) . 

 Chikunda . . . 

 Chitonga . . . 



Native Names. 



Mvuu.* Swahili 



Ndamondo. 



Imvu. 



Mvu. 



Gwere (or Chigwere) 



Chiboko (Kiboko or Boko). 



Chibisa Mfuvu. 



Chilala Mufubu. 



Chiwemba .... Mfubu. 



Grass, maize, or other crops. 



Food. 



Spoor. 



Four toes, pointed, and with nails. 



The spoor when seen in long grass is sometimes rather difficult to distinguish 

 from rhino at first sight, as the toe-marks may not be seen, but in mud is unmistakable. 



They trample deep muddy runs into the water or swamps in which they are living. 



By following along the bank of a stream or marsh it can be seen by these where 

 there are hippo. 



Natives call places where hippo habitually go ashore " hippo villages." 



Habitat. 



Open rivers where they are not too much shot at, big lakes where they can 

 go out into deep water and keep out of range of anyone in a canoe, and papyrus swamps. 



In these latter they are fairly safe from the sportsman when they remain there. 

 They come out at night to graze, and may be seen wading ashore, sometimes 

 before dark or leaving in the early morning for the water. 



Habits. 



Very curious, and if they hear talking on the banks of a river will often come up 

 to see what is going on. 



Where undisturbed they can be seen standing on sandbanks during the middle of 

 the day with their backs out of water, but if disturbed they immediately return to 

 deeper water. 



* Not Mvu, as most Europeans pronounce it. 



