THE HIPPOPOTAMUS 



cloths or blankets wetted and laid on the animal, water 

 being poured on the same as they appeared to dry. 



My advice was accepted and acted upon, and with the 

 most complete success. It has since occurred to me that 

 a large tray might have been constructed for the animal 

 to lie in, this tray having the edge turned up some two 

 or three inches, so as to keep the water in. It could have 

 been lined with an indiarubber sheet, and the beast would 

 have enjoyed lying in this under a perfectly wet covering 

 which would be nearly equal to a bath. 



STEALING THE BABY HIPPO. 



On Thursday morning following the birth of the first 

 baby, which was apparently asleep, the mother seemed 

 uneasy, and as the day advanced I saw the young one 

 make a fruitless attempt to rise. Carefully noticing all 

 the symptoms, I concluded that it was going wrong and 

 determined, if possible, to remove it from its mother — a 

 task of considerable difficulty, and one not altogether free 

 from danger. The keeper, Michael Prescot, was the first 

 to enter the house, and having the gates which lead into 

 the tank containing the water open, he expected that he 

 would be able to close them and keep the mother in the 

 bath until the young one had been removed. He made 

 the attempt, and she rushed at him and into the water ; 

 but before he could close the gates she rushed out again 

 and stood before her young one, gnashing her teeth and 

 threatening the keeper. 



It was certain that the keepers could not remove the 

 young one without assistance, so I sent for Arthur 

 Thomson, the keeper, and H. North, the helper; and 

 knowing the great dislike the female hippopotamus had 



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