potami, or river hogs. They commonly sleep in the reedy islands in the middle of rivers, and, if possible, in situations surrounded by thick forests and deep impenetrable marshes, and in such places they bring forth their young. 、 The female is supposed to go with young nine months, produces but one at a birth, and that always upon land, but she suckles her offspring in the water. She is often seen in the rivers with her young one on her back; and her manner of suckling is not dissimilar to that of a cow, but the teats are` small, and only two in number, being placed far back under the belly: the milk is thin, and more aqueous than that of the cow. The female, at particular seasons, has a strong smell of musk. A herd of females is said to have but one male; two of the latter often contest, like the stag, each other's right over the females; and the attack of two such powerful animals, as may naturally be conceived, is truly terrible; the earth shakes beneath them, their blood flows in torrents, and the masses of flesh torn out by the grasp of their monstrous jaws, lie scattered upon the blood-stained scene of conflict. Sometimes the weakest, perceiving his efforts ineffectual, leaves his antagonist master of the field; but this seldom happens; and it frequently occurs that one or both of them perish on the spot. The hippopotamus inhabits equally the land and the water; but his food is entirely of the vegetable kind, in quest of which he quits his watery residence, under the favourable darkness of the night, ranges along the banks and adjacent places in security, trampling down and destroying in his progress an infinitely greater portion of herbage than could possibly be required for the calls of his appetite. They thus sometimes quit the river in troops, going occasionally six miles from the banks, either in search of food, or of some other river, doing great damage to the sugar-canes and plantations of rice and millet, and among young and tender trees, the shoots of which they eagerly devour. The hippopotamus feeds also on grass and the roots of trees, which he readily tears up with his teeth; but never eats fish, as has been erroneously stated by some naturalists. The flesh of the hippopotamus is eaten in Africa by the poorer orders, who first separate it from the fat, or kind of fine lard with which the animal abounds, and which usually produces a good price. Dr. Pococke has seen their flesh sold in the shambles like beef. The gelatinous part of the feet is reckoned a great delicacy; and the tongue, when dried, is considered at the Cape as excellent food. The hide, which on the back is two inches thick or more, is converted by the Africans into shields or bucklers, and is said to be proof against a musket-ball. The Africans also consider the teeth of this animal to possess virtues which are antidotes to poison, and usually wear some trinkets made of them about their persons; and it is also asserted by Labat, that the blood is employed by the Indian painters in the preparation of their colours. The modes of capturing these animals are various. In some parts the natives place boards full of sharp irons in the ground, which these heavy beasts striking into their feet, become disabled, and thus fall an easy prey. They are often shot, and sometimes taken in pit-falls prepared for this purpose on the banks of rivers; sometimes, too, they are struck in the water with harpoons fixed to cords; nor is it uncommon to see ten or a dozen canoes employed in the chase: this method is very common in Africa. Hasselquist says, the Egyptians destroy this animal by laying a large quantity of dry peas in the places he frequents; these he devours with avidity, which creates an insupportable thirst; he then returns immediately to the river, and 'drinks large draughts of water, on which the peas soon begin to swell; and not long after, the Egyptians find him dead on the shore, blown up, as if killed by the strongest poison. . sure. THE LONG-NOSED TAPIIR (Hippopotamus Terrestris, LINN. Le Tapir. BUFF.) Is about the size of a small cow. The nose, which is long and slender, extends far beyond the lower jaw, forming a sort of proboscis, which it can extend or contract at pleaEach jaw is furnished with ten cutting teeth, and the same number of grinders: the ears are small and erect. The body of the tapiir is formed like that of the hog species, and covered with short hair of a dusky brown colour; the back is somewhat arched; legs short; and the hoofs, of which it has four upon each foot, are small, hollow, and black; the tail is very small. The tapiir is the hippopotamus of the New World, and has by some naturalists been mistaken for that animal. It inhabits the woods and rivers on the eastern side of South America, from the isthmus of Darien to the river Amazon. It sleeps during the day, in the darkest and thickest forests adjacent to the banks of rivers; and sallies forth at night in search of food, which consists of sugar-canes, grass, and fruits. It is a slow-footed and sluggish animal; and if disturbed, it plunges into the water, where it swims with great facility, or sinks below, and, like the hippopotamus, walks on the bottom as on dry ground. It makes a kind of hissing noise; is mild and inoffensive in its habits, avoiding all hostilities with other animals, fleeing at the smallest appearance of danger; but will make a vigorous resistance if attacked. The skin of this creature is very thick, and when dried is so hard as to resist the force of an arrow; of this the Indians make bucklers; but the hide is soft, and capable of being penetrated when the animal is alive. The Indians shoot it with poisoned arrows, for the sake of its flesh, which is said to be very good food. The usual attitude which the tapiir adopts when at rest, is sitting on its rump, in the manner of a dog. These animals are very common in Cayenne, where they are suffered to run about the streets, and are fed with cavassabread and fruit. M. Bajou, a surgeon attached to the government, had at this place a tapiir which became perfectly familiar, and acquired a strong attachment to him, distinguishing him in the midst of many other persons, licking his hands, and following him like a dog. This animal would often go alone into the woods to a great distance, but always returned to his home early in the evening. A female tapiir was exhibited at many of the fairs in Germany and Holland: the keeper usually fed it on rye-bread, a kind of gruel, and on different kinds of vegetables; it was excessively fond of apples, and could smell them at a considerable distance. If any person happened to have apples in his pockets, it would eagerly approach, and, thrusting in its proboscis, would take them out with great facility. It ate of almost every thing that was presented to it, whether fish, vegetables, or meat; and it never exerted its voice unless it was either fatigued or irritated. THE ELEPHANT. Elephas Maximus. LINN. L'Eléphant. BUFF. All naturalists concur in giving the elephant the character of being the most sagacious animal next to man; yet were we to form our idea of his capacity from his outward appearance, we should be led to conceive very meanly of his abilities; for, at first view, the elephant presents the spectator with an enormous mass of flesh that seems scarcely animated: his huge body, covered with an apparently callous hide; his mishapen legs, that seem scarcely formed for motion; his small eyes, large ears, and long trunk,—all give him an air of stupidity. But our prejudices soon subside. when we come to examine his history; and will serve to increase our surprise when we consider the various advantages it derives from so apparently clumsy a conformation. |