FAMILY H1PPOPOTAMHXE ; HIPPOPOTAMUS. 329 



living in families, and taking up their abode in caves or ereviees 

 in the sides of rocks ; they live upon the young shoots of shrubs, 

 and upon herbs and grass. Two other African species are de- 

 scribed as taking up their residence in trees. 



295. The family HIPPOPOTAMID^E includes only the Hippopo- 

 tamus or River Horse ; an inhabitant of the African rivers, 

 which seems to con- 

 nect the Hog with 

 the Elephant on the 

 one hand, and with 

 the aquatic tribe of 

 Pachyderms ( 304) 

 on the other. Its 

 body is scarcely in- 

 ferior to that of the 

 Elephant in bulk; FIG 166 _ HIPPOIWAIIU9 . 



but its limbs are so 



short that its belly almost touches the ground. In its general 

 aspect it might be compared to a gigantic Pig, but for its short, 

 thick, and very blunt muzzle. The incisors and canines of the 

 lower jaw are long and curved forwards ; but the lips are so 

 large, as usually to conceal them. The canines of the two jaws 

 rub against each other, as in the Rodentia, and are continually 

 growing at the base, from a persistent pulp. The stomach is 

 partially divided into several sacs. The feet possess four toes, 

 terminated in separate hoofs. The nostrils open on the top ot 

 the muzzle, and the eyes, which are very small, are situated high 

 in the head ; hence the animal, whilst its body is submerged in 

 the water, can look around and breathe, by raising but a very 

 small portion of the head above the surface. As its name 

 imports, it passes a large part of its time in the water ; usually 

 quitting it by night in search of its food, which onsists of the 

 herbage that grows near the banks of the rivers and lakes. It 

 is not confined to rivers, however ; for it also tenants the inland 

 lakes, and seems equally disposed to take up its abode in the sea, 

 keeping however near the shore. It tommanly resorts to 

 places where it can walk along the bottom, covered with a few 



