1872.] ON THE PLACENTA OF THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. S2 1 



We left the house astounded and bewildered, looking at each 

 other, and wondering if our eyes and other senses would agree upon 

 comparing notes of what had happened. I am perfectly certain, 

 and I have two trustworthy witnesses who are as positive as myself, 

 that the young Hippopotamus must have beeu under water without 

 the opportunity of taking breath for at least fifteen minutes. I may 

 mention that the adult Hippopotamus has been timed, when under 

 water, by a great number of very careful observers very many times, 

 and on no occasion has it remained below above three and a half to 

 four minutes without taking breath. This long continuance under 

 water by the young animal induces me to believe that in the first 

 few days of its existence it takes its nourishment, or part of it, from 

 the teats of its mother under water. 



Within the last twenty-four hours, I find the little one takes rest 

 in the manner described by African travellers, viz. on its mother's 

 back. Both yesterday and again this day the little one has been 

 lying lengthwise on the broad shoulders of its mother, its little head 

 reaching halfway up her neck. During this time she was floating 

 in the water ; and no doubt in a state ot nature the young are carried 

 about in the rivers by their parents in this manner. The young one 

 already appears willing to feed itself, and, I am inclined to think, will 

 do so in a few days. It is extremely lively, and not only playful, 

 but opens its mouth in a threatening manner at the keepers. This 

 habit has only been observed the last day or two ; for at first on the 

 least alarm it used to rush into the water for safety. 



2. Note on the Placenta of the Hippopotamus. 

 By A. H. Garrod, B.A., F.Z.S., Prosector to the Society. 



[Eeceived November 19, 1872.] 



Not knowing of any description of the placenta of Hippopotamus 

 amphibius, I think it desirable to record the condition of that obtained 

 after the birth of the calf, which occurred on the 5th of this month. 



The placenta is a long cylindrical bag, three and a half feet from 

 end to end and one and a half foot across. There is only one 

 aperture ; and that is not more than a foot long, and is situated at 

 one of the ends. The other end is rounded, and quite complete. It 

 is evident that the whole viscus is much the shape of the enclosed 

 foetus, and must have closely covered it. The end at which the 

 rupture had occurred, that is the one situated at the os uteri, is a 

 little constricted, as may be inferred from the above statement of its 

 diameter. The umbilical cord is attached to the placenta at one of 

 the sides, about halfway between the two ends. It is one foot 

 and a half long, aud ragged at its free extremity. It is an inch and a 

 half in diameter in the middle, and gets larger as it approaches its 

 attachment, near which there are many spherical bodies, as big as 

 peas and yellow in colour, supported on short amniotic pedicles. 

 The outer surface of the whole viscus is covered uniformly with villi 



