finger; the fnout, which is long and tubular, is 
furnifhcd with an operculum below, which opens 
or fhuts at the pleafure of the animal ; the eyes are 
round and prominent, and between them there are 
two prominent tubercles. The body, down to 
the anus, is heptahedral, and terminated at the 
angles by a fort of thorny protuberances j from the 
anus to the tail the fliape is only three or four- 
fided, and terminates in a point twilled into a fort 
of fpiral line. It has two auriform gills; above 
which there are tv/o apertures opening upv/ards. 
This creature has likev/ife two apertures on the 
belly, one of which ferves for an excretory du6l, 
and by the other the female depofits her eggs. 
The whole body is compofed of a fort of annular 
cartilages, from diftinft parts of wliich are propa- 
gated a kind of prickles. While frefli, the colour 
is a duHvy green, blackifh towards the tail, and 
fpottcd on the belly with blueifn white fpecks; 
and a fmgle fin runs along the back, of an equal 
height from it's rife to it's termination. Somie va- 
rieties of this fpecies have a mane, but in general 
they are dellitute of this charafter. However, 
animals of this kind are hairv in many parts of the 
body, and particularly about the head; but the 
hairs quickly fall off in drying. 
HIPPOGLOSSUS. In the Linnrean fyftem, 
the HippogloiTus is a fpecies of thfc pleuroneftes; 
and is known in England by the name of the ho- 
libut. See Holibut. 
HIPPOPOTAMUS ; the Sea, or River-horfe. 
In the Linnsean difiribution, this creature forms a 
didinft genus of animals of the order of bellure, 
in the clafs of mammalia; the characters of which 
are : that there are two paps fituated in the groin ; 
that the dentes incifores are fix above and four be- 
low, the upper ones being placed at diftances by 
pairs, and the lower ones prominent; that the 
dentes canini are fingle, appearing as if obliquely 
cut off; and that the feet are hoofed at their mar- 
gins. 
The Hippopotamus is as large and formidable 
as the rhinoceros ; and, in magnitude, inferior only 
to the elephant. The male has been found to mea- 
fure leventeen feet in length, from the extremity 
of the fnout to the infertion of the tail; the circum- 
ference of the body is fifteen feet, and the height 
'nearly feven; the legs are three feet long, and the 
head almofl four: the head, indeed, is of an enor- 
mous fize; and the very jaws extend upv/ards of 
two feet. The ears, v/hich are fmail and pointed, 
are internally lined with fine fliort hair; the lips 
are befet with flrong hairs fcattered in bunches; 
and the body, which is of a lightifli colour, is 
thinly covered with hair, at firft fight fcarcely per- 
ceptible. 
Some writers have erroneoufiy given this ani- 
mal a mane: however, the hair on that part being 
fomewhat thicker than on the reft of the body, tliat 
circumftance probably gave rife to the miftake. 
The flcin is very thick and ftrong; and though 
incapable of refifting a mufquet-ball, is neverthe- 
lefs impenetrable to tlie ftroke of a fabre. The 
tail is about a foot long, flat, and pointed; the 
hoofs are divided into four parts, and in fome 
meafure refemble tliofe of the elephant; but 
thougli the Hippopotame is an amphibious ani- 
mai, they are unconnefted with membranes. The 
v/hole figure of this creature is Ibmething between 
that of the ox and the hog; and it's voice bears 
fom.e refemblance to the bellovv^ing of the one and 
the crunting of the other. 
Though the Hippopotamus feems well adapted 
by nature for a ftate of hoftility, it is but little dif- 
pofed to exert it's prodigious ftrength againft an 
equal adverfary. It chiefiy refides at the bot- 
toms of the great rivers and lakes of Africa, from 
the Niger to the Cape of Good Hope: it is found 
in none of the African rivers which empty them- 
felves into the Mediterranean except the Nile, and 
even there only in Upper Egypt, and in the lakes 
and fens of Ethiopia through v/hich that mighty- 
river devolves it's ftream. In thefe fituations it 
leads an indolent kind of life, feldom appearing 
difpofed for aftion, except when prompted by the 
calls of hunger. It purfues it's prey in the water 
v/ith great Iwiftnefs and perfeverance; and is ca- 
pable of continuing at the bottom for the fpace of 
half an hour, without ever rifing to the furface for 
refpiration. It traverfes the bed of the ftream with 
the fame facility as if it v/ere walking on land; and 
makes terrible devaftation in thofe places where 
prey offers itfelf in abundance: but, when fifhy 
aliment begins to- fail, it is compelled to exchange 
it's aquatic retreats for the land, where it m^oves 
along very aukwardly and flowly. If it cannot 
procure food on the m.argin of the river, it reluc- 
tantly afcends the higher grounds, where it com- 
mits dreadful havock on the fugar-canes and plan- 
tations of rice and millet; and alio feeds on the 
roots of trees, which it loofens with it's vaft tuflcs. 
When the haplefs natives behold their poffef- 
fions thus deftroyed by this animal, they beat 
drums, light fires, and raife a hideous outcrv, in 
order to frighten it back to ic's native element; 
and as the creature is extremely timorous on land, 
theie ftratagems generally prove fuccefsful: but, 
if ever it happens to be v/ounded, or too much ir- 
ritated, it then becomes formidable to all that op~ 
pofe it; overturning every thing that comes in it's 
way, and appearing poffeffed of amazing ftrength. 
When purfued, it takes to the v/ater, and finks to 
the bottom; 'but frequently rifing again to the fur- 
face, with it's head in view, bellows in the moft; 
hideous manner. When wounded, it fometimes 
attacks boats or canoes with great fury, and often 
fi.nks them by biting large pieces out of their 
fides; for the Flippopotame is not lefs refolute in 
the water than timid on the land. However, the 
principle of felf-prefervation alone feems to aftuate 
this creature's rage: if unmolefted, it never attacks 
the mariners nor their boats; but, ihould an af- 
front, either intended or accidental, be offered to 
it, it's revenge is inftantaneous, and often fatal. 
' I have feen,' fays a certain mariner, one of thefe 
anrrnals open it's jaws; and, feizing a boat between 
it's teeth, at once bite and fink it to the bottom. 
I have feen it, on another occafion, place itfelf un- 
der one of our boats, and rifing under it, overfet 
it with fix men in it, who however happily re- 
ceived no other injury.' 
Such then is the prodigious ftrength of the 
Hippopotamus; and from hence, probably, fancy 
has been inclined to match it in ccm.bat againft 
other animals miCre fierce and equally formidable. 
The crocodile and the fliark have been faid to en- 
ter the lifts againft it, and to yield it an eaf/ vic- 
tory; but as the fhark is only found at fea, and the 
Hippopotamus never ventures beyond the moudis 
of frefh- water rivers, it is moft probable that thefe 
engagements never exifted but in the imagination. 
It fometimes happens indeed, that the African 
princes amufe themfelves with combats on their 
lakes, between this and odier formidable animals ; 
bur 
