THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 295 



fads are to be found in the general hiftory of 

 voyages, by the Abbe Prevoft, where we have a 

 complete and judicious collection * of all that 

 has been delivered by travellers concerning the 

 hippopotamus. 



The individuals of this fpecies are not nume- 

 rous, and feem to be confined to rhe rivers of 

 Africa. Mod naturalifts tell us, that the hippo- 

 potamus is alfo found in India. But the evi- 

 dence they have of this fact appears to be equi- 

 vocal. Alexander's "f" letter to Ariftotle would 

 be the moft pofitive, if we could be certain that 

 the animals mentioned in it were really hippopo- 

 tami ; which to me feems very problematical 5 

 for, if they were, Ariftotle muft have told us, in 

 his hiftory of animals, that the hippopotamus 

 was a native of India as well as of Egypt* One- 

 ficritus J and fome old authors fay, that the hip- 

 popotamus was found in the river Indus. But 



this 



* Hill. gen. des voyages, torn, t, p. 95. j \i 

 f Hamanas carnes hippnpobaasis pergfatas eflej fei eis 

 collegimus, quae in libro Artftotelis de mnabilibus tndiae 

 habentur, ubi Alexander Mxce'do fcribefls ad .".:;':; 1 in- 



quit: * Ducentos milites de Macedonibus, ievibits ai ■ : is, rmfi 

 « per amnem natatufos ; itaque q'uartam Suminre partem ha- 

 « taverunt, cum horrenda res vifu nobis cohipecla eft , .rppc- 

 « potami inter profundos squarum ruerunt gargitesj aptofque 

 ' milites nobis fientibus abiumpierunt. liratus ego tunc ex 

 « eis, qui nos in infidiaS deducebant, centum et qumquagmtsc 

 * mitti in flumen juffi, quos rurfus hippopotarhijufta' digrio§ 

 ' poena confecerunt ;' Aidrav. de quad, digit, p. 188. et 189. 



$ In India quoque reperitur hippopotamus, ut Otieficritiis 

 eft autor, m amne Indo ; EsrvrAavs npui Gefnif d; pifiibttsi 

 W1* 



