THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 



he died from pure old age. It is quite consistent with 

 these facts to suppose that the hippopotamus does not 

 live to a great age, because the young animal born in 

 the Gardens attained its full size in six years, although 

 "Obaysch," as compared with this youngster, had not 

 attained his full growth until he was ten 3'ears old. 



"obaysch" at the dentist's. 



In 1873 I gave the late Mr. Frank Buckland the 

 following particulars for his book. Curiosities of Natural 

 History, of the successful attempt of extracting the tooth 

 of the hippopotamus " Obaysch " living in the Gardens : — 

 "You will be glad to know that I have succeeded in 

 performing perhaps the largest dental operation on record. 

 Our male hippopotamus 'Obaysch' has been suffering from 

 a fractured tooth, and, fearing the consequences might be 

 serious, I had a strong oak fence fixed between his pond 

 and the iron railings, as I had determined to remove the 

 tooth. This I accomplished, but not without a fearful 

 struggle. I had had prepared a powerful pair of forceps 

 more than 2 ft. long ; with these I grasped his fractured 

 incisor, thinking that, with a firm and determined twist, 

 I should gain possession of the fine piece of ivory. This, 

 however, was not so easily done, for the brute, astonished 

 at my impudence, rushed back, tearing the instrument 

 from my hands, and, looking as wild as a hippopotamus 

 can look, charged at me just as I had recovered my 

 forceps. I made another attempt, and this time held 

 on long enough to cause the loose tooth to shift its 

 position, but was again obliged to relinquish my hold. 

 I had, however, no occasion to say ' Open your mouth,' 

 for this he did to the fullest extent ; therefore I had no 



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