284 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



1 The circumference of the head is about five 

 * feet eieht inches. 



o 



4 The ears are two inches nine lines long, 

 two inches three lines broad, a little pointed, 

 andgarnifhed in the infide with fine, fhort, thick 

 hairs, of the fame colour as the others. 



' The eyes, from one corner to the other, are 

 two inches three lines ; and the eye-lids are 

 riiftant from each other one inch one line. 



' The noftrils are two inches four lines long, 

 and one inch three lines broad. 



4 The mouth opens to the width of one foot 

 five inches four lines. It is of a fquare form, 

 and furnifhed with forty-four teeth of differ- 

 ent figures * All thefe teeth are fo 



hard, that they ftrike fire with fteel. It is 

 chiefly the enamel of the canine teeth which 

 poflefles this degree of hardnefs, the internal 

 fubftance of the whole being fofter. . . . When 

 the hippopotamus keeps his mouth fhut, no 

 teeth appear without, but are all covered with 

 the lips, which are extremely large. 



' With regard to the figure of the hippopo- 

 tamus, it appears to be a medium between 

 thofe of the buffalo and hog, becaufe it par- 

 ticipates of both, except the cutting teeth, 



1 which 



* In three heads of the hippopotamus, prcferved in the 

 royal cabinet, there are only thirty-fix teeth. As thefe heads 

 ai .- fmaller than that defcribed by Zerenghi, it may be pre- 

 sumed that, in young hippopotami, all the grinders are not 

 developed, and that adults have eight more. 



