138 MAMMALIA. PACHYDERMA. 



thick and square ; muzzle very large and gibbous ; body very 

 thick and heavy ; legs short, with four toes on the feet ; eyes 

 and ears small ; tail short ; two ventral mammae ; skin very 

 thick, almost without hair. 



The Hippopotamus is one of the largest of quadrupeds, reaching to twelve feet long, 

 and from five to six in height. Its body is very massive, and denuded of hair ; its 

 legs short, the belly almost touching the ground, and the head excessively large. It 

 inhabits the muddy banks of rivers, which it quits in the night in search of pas- 

 ture, and at the least noise or indication of danger dives to the bottom of the water, 

 from time to time raising itself to the surface to breathe. The hippopotami 

 are gregarious in their habits, and are found throughout Africa. Anciently they were 

 common in Egypt, and the latter Roman Emperors often brought them to Rome, 

 and exhibited them in the Circus. The skin is very thick, and is cut into strips at 

 Senaar, where they are numerous, and made into whips. The flesh is eatable, and the 

 fat thought a delicacy by the colonists at the Cape. The name of the River Horse, 

 which it has popularly received, seems not inapplicable, Mr Burchell conceives, when 

 merely the upper part of the head is seen above the water ; but M. F. Cuvier conjec- 

 tures that this ancient name has reference to its voice, which Adanson informs us is 

 like neighing. The hippopotamus is alluded to in the Sacred Writings. Job, xl. 15. 



H. amphibius, Lin. Body very massive ; belly almost touching the 

 ground ; mouth much cleft ; ears far back. About 13 feet long. 

 Inhabits the great rivers of Africa. Shaw, ii. pi. 219. 

 Desmoulins has divided this species into two, H. Capcnsis and //. Senegalensis, 



distinguished by the character of the skulls of specimens from different parts of 



Africa. 



H. antiquus, Cuv. (fossil.) Size of the preceding ; occiput very 

 elevated Found fossil in Italy. 



H. minor, Cuv. (fossil.) Adult individuals, as indicated by the 

 state of the teeth, about the size of the wild boar. 



H. medius, Cuv. Of a size intermediate between the two prece- 

 ding ; last lower molar tooth one inch long ; the penult one 1 1 

 lines. Found fossil in France. 



H. minimus, Cuv. Size smaller than the H. minor Found fossil 

 with the remains of crocodiles in limestone near Blaye, France. 



Gen. 127. Sus, Lin. Cuv. Geoff. Desm. 



Incisors | or f , canines \-\^ molars ?-? 42 or 44. Canines 

 bent upwards and laterally ; molars tuberculous ; lower in- 

 cisors bent forward ; four toes on all the feet, the two middle 

 ones only touching the ground, armed with strong hoofs ; nose 

 elongated, cartilaginous ; body covered with bristles ; twelve 

 teats. 



S. scrofa, Lin. The Hog. Tusks strong, triangular, directed la- 

 terally ; no protuberance under the eyes ; colour blackish gray in 

 the wild animal, but varying much in the domesticated races. 

 Inhabits all the habitable world. 



The English variety acquires an extraordinary bulk, and sometimes weighs 1 200 

 Ibs. It is generally of a whitish colour, and the body much elongated. The Jut- 

 land race has an elongated body and pendant ears, back bent, and limbs long. The 

 Zealand race is smaller, and has the ears slightly raised, and the back furnished with 

 strong bristles. The races of Poland and Russia are of a reddish colour ; and the South 



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