With Flashlight and Rifle -* 



But even in the inland lake-districts such as that 

 of the Victoria Nyanza, the days of this great water- 

 hog seem to be numbered. It is true that on the English 

 side of the lake there is a decree in force to prevent 

 the complete extermination of the species, but in spite 

 of this the " kiboko " is bound to disappear from these 

 regions, just as it has from the Nile Valley. 



Of very great interest was the discovery a good many 

 years ago of a species of dwarf hippopotamus on the 

 West Coast, in Liberia. These little animals, according 

 to the scanty knowledge we as yet have of them, would 

 seem to live in the streams of the primeval forests. 



The ordinary hippopotamus would be found probably, 

 on closer investigation, to be divisible into various 

 races ; I myself have noticed differences in size, appear- 

 ance, and habits between the hippopotamuses I have met 

 with in the neighbourhood of different streams. 



Herodotus tells us that in his time already the hippo- 

 potamus was found to have rents on his skin, and he 

 makes the suggestion that these were made by sharp 

 sedge-grass. These rents I too have noticed ; but as 

 I have found them also on rhinoceros-skins never on 

 those of elephants I am inclined to believe that they 

 must be caused by something else. 



We have had many accounts of the hippopotamus 

 from travellers of all sorts, from the days of Herodotus 

 down to our own, and they all agree in describing the 

 animal as ill-tempered and dangerous, and a very ugly 

 customer to deal with. The last testimony to this was 

 given by Brehm, who, however, had to deal for the 



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