I-I I P 
916 HIP 
raises blisters on the skin wherever it falls, 
turns linen black, and makes it fall out in 
holes-. It is also dangerous to work the 
wood after it is sawn out ; for ft any of the 
sawdust happens to get into the eyes of the 
workmen it causes inflammation ; to prevent 
which they generally coyer their faces with 
fine lawn during the time of working the 
wood. It is with the juice of this tree that 
the Indians used to poison their arrows. 
HIPPOPHAE, sea-buckthorn, a genus of 
of the tetrandria order, in the dioecia class of 
plants, and in the natural method ranking 
under the 16th order, calyeiflorre. The male 
calyx is bipartite ; there is no corolia ; the 
female calyx is blind ; there is no corolla ; 
tnere is one style, and a monospennous ber- 
ry. The species are, 
1. The rhamnoides, with a shrubby stem, 
branching irregularly eight or ten feet high’ 
having a dark-bi'owu back. 
2. The canadensis has a shrubby brown 
stem, branching eight or ten feet high, with 
oval leaves, and male and female flowers on 
different plants. Both these species are very 
hardy, and may be propagated in abundance 
by suckers from tiie roots, by layers, and by 
cuttings of their young shoots.' They are 
retained in gardens on account of their two- 
colouied leaves in summer; and in winter 
on account of the appearance of the young- 
shoots, which are covered with turgid, irregu- 
lar, scaly buds. Goats, sheep, and horses, 
eat the first species ; cows refuse ft. 
HIPPOPOTAMUS, a genus of quadru- 
peds of the order of belluaj. The generic cha- 
racter is, the front teeth of the upper jaw are 
four, and placed in pairs ; those of the lower 
jaw are prominent, and the intermediate ones 
are protruded forward ; the canine teeth are 
single, and obliquely truncated ; the teats 
are only two, and placed near the groin. It 
is a native ot the wanner regions of the 
globe, ana is chiefly found in the middle 
parts of Africa, inhabiting large rivers, and 
especially such as run through countries 
overshadowed by large forests ; walking about 
at the bottom, and raising itself at intervals to 
the surface, foiy the purpose of respiration. 
tty uight it quits its w.itery residence, to 
graze in the neighbouring plains, devouring 
great quantities of herbage, and with its vast 
teeth destroying the more tender kind of 
trees and other vegetables. It is sometimes 
seen even in the sea, at some distance from 
the mouths of rivers, but this is supposed to 
be merely for the purpose of exercise ; for it 
will not even drink salt water, and does not 
prey on fish, 01 ^ indeed live on any kind of 
animal food. The general size of the hippo- 
potamus seems to be nearly equal to that of 
the rhinoceros, and it is sometimes even su- 
perior. Its form is highly uncouth ; the 
body being extremely large' fat, and round ; 
the legs very short and thick ; the head very 
large; the mouth extremely wide, and the 
teeth of vast strength and size, more particu- 
larly the tusks or canine teeth of the lower 
jaw, which are of a curved form : they some- 
times measure more than two feet in length, 
and weigh upwards of six pounds each. The 
whole animal is covered with short hair, 
which is much more thinly set on the under 
parts than on the upper. 'The hippopotamus 
when just emerged from the water appears 
of a palish-brown, or mouse colour, with a 
blueish or slate coloured cast on the upper 
parts; and the belly is flesh coloured, the 
skin appearing through the hair. When per- 
fectly dry the colour is an obscure brown, 
without any of the blueish cast. The skin is 
mo t excessively tough and strong, except 
on the belly, where it is considerably softer. 
Its voice is a peculiar kind of interrupted 
roar, between that of a bull and the braying 
of an elep.x-nt. When on land it moves in a 
somewhat slow and awkward manner ; but if 
pursued, can run with considerable speed, 
and directly plunging into the water sinks to 
the bottom, and pursues its progress beneath. 
It is observed to be extremely cautious of 
making its appearance by day, especially in 
such places as are much frequented by man- 
kind, scarcely lifting its nose above the sur- 
lace while breathing ; but it is fearless in rivers 
which run through unfrequented regions, 
whereat is occasionally seen to rush out of 
the water with sudden impetuosity, tramp- 
ling down every thing in its way ; and at 
such times is, of course, highly dangerous, 
ft is, however, naturally of a harmless dispo- 
skion ; not attacking other animals, but mere- 
ly committing havoc in plantations of maize, 
rice, sugar-canes, &c. and destroying the 
roots of trees, by loosening them with its vast 
teeth. It is capable, notwithstanding its great 
bulk, of swimming very swiftly. Sometimes 
hippopotami are seen going' in herds, or 
companies, to fhe distance of some miles 
from the bank of a river in quest of food. If 
wounded in the water they become furious, 
and are said to attack the boats or canoes 
whence the? injury proceeded, and either 
overturn or sink them, by biting out lar^e 
pieces (torn the bottom, the hippopotamus 
sleeps in the small reedy islets which are found 
here and there in the rivers it frequents. In 
such spots it also brings forth its young ; 
having only one at a birth, which it nurses 
witn great care for a considerable time. The 
young is capable of being tamed, and we 
are assured by Belon that he saw one so gen- 
tle as to shew no inclination to escape, or to 
do any kind of mischief when let out of the 
stable in which it was kept. 
These animals are said to be most success- 
fully taken by preparing pitfals for them, of 
large size, near the rivers. They are also oc- 
casionally shot, or killed with harpoons. 
1 heir flesh is reckoned good by the Africans, 
and the fat is said to be a fine kind of lard. 
But it is chiefly on account of the teeth, and 
more particularly of the tusks, that this ani- 
mal is killed ; their hardness being superior 
to that of ivory, at the same time that they 
are not so subject to become yellow, for 
which reason they are much used by the den- 
tists. The skin, from its great thickness and 
strength, when dried, is used by the African 
nations for bucklers or shields, and is said to 
be proof against the stroke of a bullet ; and 
indeed the living animal, if shot at any where 
but on the head or the belly, is scarcely vul- 
nerable, the tough skin causing a bullet to 
glance from its surface. 
1 he largest female hippopotamus killed by 
colonel Gordon was about 11 feet long, and 
the largest male, which always exceeds the 
female in size, about 1 1 feet eight inches. 
Mr. Bruce, ^ however, speaks of hippopotami 
in the lake Tzgaia of more than twenty feet 
long. 
The hippopotamus has- only a single sto- 
h i n 
ni<an, and does not ruminate: the stomach, 
however, lias certain cells and divisions, analo- 
gous, in some degree, to those of the camel. 
' ^ 1 - Sonnini thinks it not improbable that 
there may in reality exist two species of hip- 
popotamus ; one ot which confines itselt en- 
tirely to rivers and fresh waters, and the other 
to the sea. See Plate Nat. Hist. fig. 226. 
IIIPPURIS, mare s-t ail, a genus of the 
monogyma order, in the monandria class of 
plants, and 111 the natural method ranking 
under the 15th order, inundata:. There is 
no calyx, nor any petals; the stigma is sim- 
ple , and there is one seed. T here are 
three species, one a native of Britain, and 
which grows in ditches and stagnant waters. 
! , iie flower of this plant is found at the base 
of each leaf, and h> as simple as can be con- 
ceived ; there being neither empalement nor 
blossom ; and only one chive, one pointal, 
and one seed. It is a very weak astringent, 
fooats eat it ; cows, sheep, horses, and swine, 
refuse it. 
1 1 IIUE A, a genus of the trigynia order, in 
the decandria class of plants. ‘ T he calyx is 
pentaphyllous ; the petals roundish and un- 
guiculated ; there are three bilabiated seeds. 
There is one species, a tree of New Spain. 
IT1RCUS, a goat, in astronomy, a star 
of the first magnitude, the same with capella. 
See Capella and Astronomy. 
ITIRT ELLA, a genus of the monogynia 
order, in the pentandria class of plants, and 
in the natural method ranking with those 
of which the order is doubtful. There are 
fi ve petals ; the filaments are very loim, per- 
sisting, and spiral ; the berry is monosper- 
mous ; the style lateral. There are three 
species, trees of the West Indies. 
HI REDO, tne leech, a genus of insects 
belonging to the order of vermes intestina. 
1 he body moves either forward or backward. 
T here are 1 7 species, principally distinguished 
y.V fl le fl' colour. The most remarkable are 
the following : 
1 . 1 lie medicinalis, or medicinal leech, the 
form of which is well known, grows to the 
length of two or three inches. The body is 
of a blackish-brown colour, marked oa 'the 
back with six yellow spots, and edged with a 
yellow line on each side ; but botli the spots 
and the lines grow faint, and almost disap- 
pear, at some seasons. I he head is smaller 
than the tail, which lixes i self very firmly to 
any thing the creature pleases. It is vivi- 
parous, and produces but one young at a, 
time, which is in the month of July, it is an 
inhabitant of clear running waters,and is well 
known for its use in bleeding. 
2 . I he sanguisuga, or horse-leech, is larger 
Ilian the former. Its skin is smooth and 
glossy ; the body is depressed, the back is 
dusky ; and the belly is of a yellowish -green 
having a yellow lateral margin. It inhabits 
stagnant waters. 
3. The geometra, or geometrical leech, 
glows to an inch and a half in length 5 ancl 
lias a smooth and. glossy skin of a dusky- 
biown colour, but in some seasons greenish 
spotted with white. When in motion its back 
is elevated into a kind of ridge ; and it then 
appears as if measuring the space it passed 
over, like a compass, whence its name. Its 
tail is remarkably broad ; and it holds as 
firmly by it as by the head. It is common on 
stones m shallow running waters : and is often 
