THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 175 



Hippopotamus, affords another example of unexpected 

 activity. Slow and deliberate in its usual movements, 

 it can suddenly charge with lightning-like rapidity, 

 and with such terrific force that one of these animals 

 has been known to strike its horn completely through 

 the body of a horse as far as the saddle on the opposite 

 side, and to throw the horse a complete somer- 

 sault. 



Then, to compare small things with large, there is 

 the hyrax, or rock rabbit, the ' ' coney " of Scripture, 

 which, in spite of its smaller size,, forms a connecting 

 link between the rhinoceros and the Hippopotamus. 

 Usually the hyrax is quiet enough, but, if startled, its 

 sudden activity is quite astonishing. I have seen the 

 little animal fly over the wire gratings of the cage 

 with such rapidity that the eye can scarcely follow its 

 movements. Indeed, the jerboa is the only creature I 

 have seen that equals it in this respect. 



Neither of these animals continue their rapid move- 

 ments for any long period, but during the short time 

 of activity their agile quickness is almost preter- 

 natural. 



In consequence of the enormous bulk of the Hippo- 

 potamus, the legs are planted so widely asunder, that 

 when it walks through grass the feet on each side 

 form a distinct line of tracks, just like those of a very 

 fat man when he walks ; and that such an enormous 

 mass of flesh should be capable of rapid movement 

 seems almost impossible. A very good perspective 

 view of the animal is given on Plate II. 



In the water the activity of the animal is no less 

 surprising than when on land. We have little oppor- 



