Rhinoceros, Hyrax, and Hippopotamus. 157 



Both creatures have similar habits. They are ex- 

 ceedingly wary, darting into the recesses of the rock 

 at the slightest alarm, or, if they fear that their move- 

 ments may betray them, crouching motionless against 

 the rock and resembling it so closely that the keenest 

 eye can hardly detect them. 



THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



Having now traced the connection between the 

 elephant and the swine through the tapir, and that 

 between the rhinoceros and Hippopotamus through 

 the hyrax, we come to the Hippopotamus itself. 



This animal {Hippopotamus ampJiibins], often known 

 as the River-Horse, or Sea-Cow, is a native of various 

 parts of Africa, being never found very far from the 

 neighbourhood of water. Huge as is the animal, its 

 size lies chiefly in the bulk of the body, the legs being 

 very short, and the actual height seldom exceeding 

 five feet. 



The teeth of the hippopotamus are of wonderful 

 size and curious shape, the canines being strongly 

 curved, while the incisors lie almost horizontally. 

 These latter are chiefly used in tearing up the various 

 aquatic plants upon which the animal feeds. These 

 teeth are of very fine quality and close consistency, 

 and, the ivory obtained from them retaining its colour 

 for a great length of time, are of considerable value, 

 averaging in price from i to ^i 55. per Ib. A single 

 tooth is usually from five to eight pounds in weight. 



Formidable as these teeth appear, they are em- 

 ployed solely for the purpose of feeding, unless the 

 animal is wounded, or otherwise irritated. For their 

 legitimate purpose they are most suitable implements, 

 Capable of severing a stem of considerable size, or of 



