HIPPOPOTAMUS; 127 



holes fo narrow as fcarce to admit a pin's head. The tongue Is fo ftiort, 

 that fome have pretended it has none at all ; and the teeth are compofed 

 of two folid white bones, running the whole length of both jaws, and 

 formed merely for chewing. The female has breafts placed forward ; 

 brings one at a time: which (he holds with her paws to her bofom; 

 where it (ticks, and accompanies her wherever (he goes. 



This animal never leaves the water, but advances its head out of it, to 

 reach the grafs on the river fides. Feeds entirely on vegetables ; is never 

 found far in the open fea, but chiefly in the large rivers of South America, 

 and often two thoufand miles from the ocean. Is alio found near Kamt- 

 fchatka. Has no voice nor cryj the only noife it makes^ is by fetching 

 its breath hard. 



THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 



SHOULD perhaps have been placed firfl: in the lift of amphibious; 

 but that the otter being native of our own country, has fo much 

 greater probability of being known, either by infpeftion or defcriptlon, 

 to the reader. It ufually forms a diftind genus, and may be fo confidered 

 here. Is above feventeen feet long, from the fnout to the tail ; above 

 fixteen feet in circumference round the body j and above feven feec 

 high : the head is near four feet long, and above nine feet in circumfer- 

 ence. The jaws open about two feet wide, and the cutting teeth, of 

 which it hath four in each jaw, are above a foot long. Its feet are 

 divided into four parts j tail fhort, flat, and pointed ; the hide amazingly 

 thick, and though not capable of turning a mu(ket-ball, impenetrable 

 to the blow of a fabre. The body is covered over with a few fcattered 

 hairs, of a whitilh colour. The whole figure of the animal is fomething 

 between that of an ox and a hog, and its cry between the bellowing of 

 the one, and the grunting of the other. 



Chiefly refides at the bottom of the great rivers and lakes of Africa, 

 where it leads an indolent kind of life, feldom difpofed for aclion, ex- 

 cept when excited by hunger. Upon fuch occalions, three or four, at 

 the bottom of a river, near fome cataract, form a kind of line, and feize 

 on fuch fi(h as are forced down by the ftream. In water they purfue their 

 prey with great fwiftnefs and perfeverance j fwim with much force, and 

 remain at the bottom thirty or forty minutes without riflng to take 

 ^reath. They walk on the bottom of the ftream, as if en Und. On 



No. 24. Z land 



