igi THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



half in circumference. The opening of the 

 mouth was two feet four inches ; and the largeft 

 teeth were more than a foot long. 



With fuch powerful arms, and fucli prodigi- 

 ous ftrength of body, the hippopotamus might 

 render himfelf formidable to all other animals. 

 But he is naturally mild * ; befides, he is fo hea- 

 vy and flow in his movements, that he could not 

 overtake any quadruped. He fwims fader than 

 he runs ; and he purfues fifties, and preys upon 

 them "(". Though he delights in the water, and 

 lives in it as freely as upon land ; yet he has not, 

 like the beaver or otter, membranes between his 

 toes. The great fize of his belly renders his fpe- 

 clfic gravity nearly equal to that of water, and 

 makes him fwim with eafe. Befides, he conti- 

 nues long at the bottom of the water J, where 



he 



* Qui hippopotamum animal terribile et crudele efTe pu- 

 tarunt, falfi mini videntiir. Vidimus enim nos adeo manfue- 

 tum hoc animal, ut homines minime reformidaret, fed beni';ne 

 fequeretur. Ingenio tarn miti eft, ut nullo negocio cicme- 

 tur, nee unquam morfu laedere conatur Hippopota- 

 mum e ftabulo folutum exire permittunt, nee metuunt ne 

 mordeat. Reclor ejus, cum fpe&atores oble&axe libet, caput 

 aliquot brafftcae capitatae, aut me'opepcnis partem, aut faf- 

 cem herbarum aut panem e manu fublimi protendit ferae : 

 Quod ea confpicata tanto ricturh hiatu diducit, ut leonis 

 etiam hiantis caput facile fuis faucibus caperet. Turn reftor 

 quod manu tenebat in voraginemillamfeu faccum quempiam 

 immittit. Manducat ilia et devorat ; Bellcr.lus de Aquatilihus. 



f The hippopotamus walks flowly on the banks of the ri- 

 vers ; but fwims very quickly in the water. He lives upon 

 Sfhes, and every thing he can feize ; Da??ipisr, vol. 3. p. 360. 



% I have feen the hippopotamus defcend to the bottom of 



three 



