THE PACHYDERMS 79 



circumference at base of 8^ inches. A good average 

 pair will measure 2 feet 4 inches apiece, and weigh 

 about 14 Ibs. the pair. The weight of a fair-sized 

 hippo would be about three tons. 



THE LIBERIAN HIPPOPOTAMUS 



This pigmy hippo (Hippopotamus liberiensis^ con- 

 cerning which hitherto very little has been known, 

 can scarcely be looked upon as a beast of chase 

 likely to engage the attention of keen sportsmen. 

 Even when encountered, it has little to recommend 

 it save its rarity ; and, as a matter of fact, from the 

 very restricted nature of its habitat, and for the 

 reason that it is essentially a marsh and forest loving 

 creature, apparently of nocturnal habits, it is but 

 seldom encountered even by the natives of its own 

 country. An adult will measure 2 feet 6 or 7 inches 

 in height, and 3 feet 3 or 4 inches in length. In 

 appearance this singular animal is an almost perfect 

 miniature of his big relative. It is for its size ex- 

 traordinarily strong, sturdy, and robust. In colour 

 it is of a shining blue-black, with greenish tints, the 

 under parts varying from grey -green to yellowish 

 green. It is worthy of note that, unlike its big 

 cousin, which sports four incisor tusks in the lower 

 jaw, the Liberian hippo has only two. Its habits are 

 far more like those of the wild swine than of the 

 true hippo, wandering, as it does, in pairs, through 

 forest and marsh over a wide extent of country. It 

 seldom enters the rivers, except to bathe occasionally, 



