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 i^emove 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 
79 
