A NEW LIVING SPECIES OF HIPPOPOTAMUS. 235 



In preparing to republish this animal, I had contemplated a review of the allied 

 species both living and extinct ; but before commencing the arrangement of my 

 materials, I had the pleasure to receive a communication from Dr. Hugh Falconer, 

 of London, the distinguished author of the Fauna Sivaknsis. In this letter Dr. 

 Falconer gives a clear and concise view of the present state of our knowledge of the 

 several species, recent and fossil, of the genus Hippopotamus, and I trust I commit no 

 infraction of the kindness and confidence of that gentlemen by inserting so 

 much of his communication as refers to this subject. 



London, British Museum, October 2d, 1847. 



* *• * * * 



" I regard your species as one of the most interesting and remarkable discoveries 

 that has been made in recent zoology during the present century. Cuvier, in the 

 " Discours Freliminaire," has entered into an elaborate argument against the 

 probability of any remarkable existing large species of land animal remaining to be 

 discovered, after the search which has been made through the continents and great 

 islands of the globe ; but your discovery proves that the inference was premature. 



The species as you have established it, is perfectly distinct from the H. amphihius. 

 It differs more from the latter than H. amphihius does from H. major and H. 

 palczindicus ; the only two fossil species of the same subgenus of which the crania 

 are known. The distinctive characters as you have given them, are very strongly 

 marked, viz.: the length of cranium proper as compound with that of the face: the 

 advanced position of the orbits : the convexity of the forehead, both from back to 

 front, and across between the orbits : and the details of the dental character. The 

 canine teeth of the upper jaw alone, without reference to the dimensions and other 

 peculiarities, would establish the distinctness of the species. In H. amphihius and 

 H. major, the internal vertical channel is shallow, while in your species it is so 

 deeply grooved, as to yield a strongly marked reniform outline in the section. This 

 character was of especial interest to me, as it is constant, and nearly to the same 

 amount in an Indian fossil species, of the subgenus Hexaprotodon, var. Hipp. {Hex.) 

 Sivaknsis. 



Unluckily, Cuvier had preoccupied the specific name of H. minor for this small 

 European fossil species, which he called both H. minor and H. minutus. The latter 

 name is now generally applied to it ; but to prevent confusion, the name which you 

 mention in your letter to me would be the most suitable to your species, and in the 

 notice which I intend taking of it, I shall mention it as Hipp. Liheriensis, (Morton.) 



Enclosed I send you a synopsis of the results of my examination of the 

 Hippopotamidae, fossil and recent. 



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