320 



Creatfuni of 



i $?tstnri) ; 



are rather small, and open on the top of the ' near the rivers. But it is chiefly on account 

 muzzle : the eyes, which are very small, are of the tusks and teeth that this animal is 

 situated high in the head : the ears are killed ; their hardness being superior to that 

 Email, slightly pointed, and lined with short of ivory, while they are at the same time less 

 soft hair. The tail is short, thick, and spa- liable to turn yellow. The skin, from its 

 ringly covered with hair. The feet are great thickness and strength, when dried, is 



formed into shields, and is said to he bullet- 

 i proof; the living animal, indeed, if shot at 

 I anywhere but on the head or belly, is scarcely 

 ; vulnerable ; nor is this wonderful when we 

 consider that the hide is two inches deep or 

 , more on the back and sides. The flesh of 

 this animal is eaten by the inhabitants of 

 South Africa, and, as would appear from the 

 reports of travellers, with more than usual 

 gusto when it is in a half putrid state. The 

 Hippopotamus has properly been considered 

 as the Behemoth of Scripture, where it is 

 poetically described as drinking up a river, 

 and having bones as strong as brass. The 

 fullest account of the Hippopotamus and its 

 habits is given by Dr. Andrew Smith, in his 

 lately published Zoology of South Africa ; 

 while the visitors to the Zoological Gardens 

 in the Regent's Park have, since 1850, be- 

 come familiar with the bulky form, obesity, 

 and curious manners, of the large Hippo- 

 potamus. 



HIPPOPUS. A genus of Conehifera, of 

 which there is but one known recent species, 

 the Hippopus maculatus (or Bear's-paw 

 Clam) from the Indian Ocean. The de- 

 licate whiteness of the interior, the undu- 

 lating edge, the radiated fluted columns, 

 and the richness of the variegated colouring 

 are such as to entitle it to the admiration of 

 every one. It is equivalve, regular, and 

 inequilateral ; valves closed ; transverse ; 



large, and have four toes, terminated in 

 separate hoofs. When just emerged from 

 the water, the Hippopotamus appears of a 

 palish brown, or mouse-colour, with a bluish 

 cast on the upper parts ; and the belly is 

 flesh-coloured, the skin appearing through 

 the hair : but when perfectly dry, the ani- 

 mal's general colour is an obscure brown. 



In the interior of Africa, where the rivers 

 run through countries overshadowed by large 

 forests, the Hippopotamus w_alks about at 

 the bottom of the stream, raising its head at 

 intervals above the surface, for the purpose 

 of respiration. By night it quits its watery 

 residence in search of its food, which consists 

 of the herbage that grows near the banks of 

 the rivers, and the surrounding pastures. It 

 is not confined to rivers, however ; for it also 

 tenants the inland lakes, and is sometimes 

 seen even in the sea, though it will not drink 

 salt water, prey on fish, or live on any kind 

 of animal food. Its voice is described as a 

 peculiar kind of interrupted roar, between 

 that of a bull and the braying of an ele- 

 phant. When on land it moves in a some- 

 what slow and awkward manner, but if 

 pursued, can run with considerable speed, 

 and directly plunging into the water sinks 

 to the bottom, and pursues its progress be- 

 neath. It is extremely cautious of making 

 its appearance by day, in places much fre- 

 quented by mankind ; but is fearless in 

 rivers which run through unfrequented re- 

 gions ; where it is occasionally seen to rush 

 out of the water with sudden impetuosity, 

 trampling down every thing in its way. At 

 sucli times it is of course highly dangerous ; 

 and it sometimes also shows great fury when 

 only slightly provoked : but it is naturally 

 of a harmless disposition ; not attacking 

 other animals, but merely committing havoc 

 in plantations of maize, rice, sugar-canes, 

 &c., and destroying trees, by loosening the 

 roots with its vast and powerful teeth. 



The Hippopotamus sleeps in the small 

 reedy islets which are here and there found 

 in the rivers it frequents. In such spots it 

 also brings forth its young ; having only one 

 at a birth, which it nurses with great care. 

 These animals are occasionally shot, or har- 

 pooned ; but they are said to be most suc- 

 cessfully taken by pitfals, prepared for them 



Ltz_ r_.r "~ ... z^r^^- ~~ ^Z 



ligament external ; shell imbricated with 

 numerous tubercles. It is not nearly so 

 large as the Tridacna, but the animal is 

 similar to it. [See TBIDACNA.] 



HIRUDO. [See LEECH.] 



HIRUNDO : HIRUNDINID^E. A genus 

 and family of Fisairostral or wide-gaping 

 birds of the Cuvierian system, embracing the 

 Swallow tribe. Our British species are oc- 

 casional visitors, and the heralds of summer ; 

 but at the approach of winter they resort 

 chiefly, as is supposed, to Africa. [See 

 SWALLOW.] 



HISPID^E. A family of Coleopterous 

 insects popularly known in the United States 

 as " little leaf-beetles." The upper side of 

 these beetles is generally rough, as the gene- 

 rical name implies. The larvie burrow under 

 the skin of the leaves of plants, and eat the 

 pulpy substance within, so that the skin, over 

 and under the place of its operations, turns 

 brown and dries, and has somewhat of a 

 blistered appearance, and within these blis- 



appe 

 ts the 



tered spots the larvae or grubs, the pupsc, 01 

 the beetles may often be found. The eggs 

 of these insects are little rough blackish 

 grains, and are glued to the upper side of 

 the leaves, sometimes singly, and sometimes 

 in clusters of four or five together. The 

 grubs are about one-fifth of an inch in 

 length, when fully grown. The body is 

 oblong, flattened, rather broader before than 

 behind, soft, and of a whitish colour, except 



