172 CHILDHOOD OF ANIMALS 



sedulously guarded by the mother in her lair for about a fortnight; 

 after which they follow her abroad on her foraging expeditions, but 

 are carefully watched by her for many months. The hippopotamus 

 brings forth her young in a reedy thicket, generally on an island. 

 One is the usual number, and the baby is active from the first and is 

 able to swim before it can walk. In captivity a hippopotamus has 

 been born actually in the water on more than one occasion, and 

 the mother has usually shown herself rather indifferent, whilst the 

 father takes no notice at all of the young one. In the wild state, 

 however, the young one stays with the mother for a long time, 

 probably for several years, and is carried on her back in the water. 



V 



Fig. 31. Hippopotamus carrying its young. 



African travellers have described the sudden apparition of a small 

 hippopotamus above the water, rising up until it appeared to be 

 standing on the surface, but really being carried on the mother's 

 back (Fig. 31). When the female reaches the bank, the little one 

 slips off and follows her on foot. 



The Odd-toed Ungulates — the horses, asses and zebras, and the 

 tapirs and rhinoceroses — give birth almost invariably to a single 

 young one without having made any preparation beforehand. Foals 

 can see and stand in a few minutes after their birth, and, although 

 they are feeble on their legs, can very soon follow the mother. In 

 the wild condition these animals live in herds, and the stallions 

 combine to protect the mares and foals when they are attacked 

 by lions or wolves, but as they prefer to seek safety in flight, and as 

 the herd has to move about in search of food, the foals must be 

 active very soon. Tapirs are often born in captivity, and, like 

 horses, are active in a few minutes. Extremely little is known about 

 the breeding habits of rhinoceroses, but the young are plump. 



