THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 43 



in the malar teeth of the Indian, but are diamond-shaped 

 in those of the African elephant (Fig. 14). 



Elephants generally associate in companies consisting 

 of from fifty to a hundred, led by an old one, and it is 

 said that the next in age watches in the rear. They are 

 easily tamed when young, and are used in their native 

 countries as beasts of burden, and have been frequently 

 employed in both ancient and modern warfare. They 

 can carry about two thousand pounds weight, will travel 

 forty miles a day or more, and can swim well. They live 

 to the age of nearly two hundred years. 

 , The Hippopotamus,* or River Horse, has its home 

 in the rivers of Africa, principally south of the Equator. 

 Their feet are so constructed that they can either walk 

 about on the marshy ground on the banks, or amongst 

 the mud and reeds at the bottom of the water, or swim 

 with rapidity. They prefer waters, the currents of which 

 are not very rapid, and they are therefore fond of the 

 inland lakes. Their hoof is divided into four toes, which 

 spread out, and so afford a broad basis for the animal to 

 rest upon. 



The Hippopotamus was formerly a resident of Europe ; 

 in facl,, fossil remains of it are foirnd in the London clay, 

 showing that it lived in our rivers. It is, when left to 

 itself, peaceful in habits, but it cannot always be left to 

 itself, for it pays nightly visits to the cultivated lands and 

 commits sad depredations, not only demolishing immense 

 quantities of the growing crops, but treading much of it 

 down and producing sad havoc. The cultivators, there- 

 fore, dig pits, each having a long spike in the centre, 

 which, if the animal falls into the trap, pierces his huge 

 body. Another sort of trap is called the "downfall," 

 which is a log of timber heavily weighted at one end, and 



* This name is derived from hippo, a horse, and potantos, a river (Greek) 



