The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-11-30 00:00:00

THE BABY HIPPOPOTAMUS.

Mr. Frank Bucklimd, writing in Lana and Water, lays—
Guy Fawkes, now 17 days old, has grown tremen-
dously. is little brother, whose cast I made, and
which is now in the giraffe-house, weighed 99. b.
Guy Fawkes weighs at least ltiOlb. now, and is
certainly a great deal bigger than when I saw him
this day week. He sucks freely, and has begun to eat
of his own accord. The cleverly prepared 'Ridge's
Infant's Food,' which Mr. Bartlett concocts for him
out of goat's milk and other delicacies, he laps
up with avidity. He is a merry little fellow,
and when in a frolicsome humour jumps and
skips about as if he had just begun to enjoy life.
I think he is more like his father than his mother in
face. He continues to follow his 111&11311111 in and out of
the water, and has several times remained under
water without coming up to blow for 15 to 20 minutes
at a time, but Mr. Bartlett is not now alarmed at this,
as he knows it is the habit of the animal. As the
mother floats in the water her back looks like a great
barrel. Every now and then her young one comes to
the surface by her side, opens his great calf-like eyes,
shakes his ears, fills his lungs with air, and then closes
his eyes and sinks down again suddenly without the
least noise. He only exposes his head, which he pope
down quickly, like a gigantic horse-pond frog. Mr.
Bartlett believes that he sucks when under water.
The mother, who is very short in her temper' shows
great intelligence, cunning, and watchfulness. She has
had a row with the gate leading into the bath, when she
managed, somehow or other, to champ it open with her
monstrous teeth; but they have managed to put this
quite right again."

The young hippopotamus "Guy Fawkes" completed
its third week of existence on Sunday. Mr. Bartlett,
the superintendent of the Zoological Gardens, being of
opinion that it would be safe to admit visitors on Satur-
day, the hippopotamus house, which hat been cloeed
slime the birth of the young one, was accordingly
opened, and was thronged from twelve o'clock till four
p.m., with visitors eager to catch a glimpse of the
latest arrival in the gardens. A number of the Fellows
and Members of the Council of the Royal Zoological
Society were present at about three o'clock, when the
mother was fed. Mr. Bartlett had kept her a little
gloat dming the morning, in order that she mightcome
out of the water when her food was at length brought.
His expectations were verified, and for a short time the
visitors had a good view of both animals.
The " baby "is now about two feet high by four
feet long, and weighs probably 2 cwt. He has taken
nourishment from his mother in a most satisfactory
manner during his gecluish n, and is now beginning to
pick up a little food for himself. He is slate-coloured on
the back and legs, with a pinkish tinge under the belly.
On Sunday the appearance of such an unusual number
of visitors attending the little one's first lev6e appeared
diet fateful to both mother and baby, and they passed
most of the day in the tepid bath, only coming up at
intervals to breathe.
Last wLek, during some alterations which were being
made in the house, the mother got into the outside yard
and took her bantling into the cold water. Some
apprehension was felt with regard to the effect which
the sudden change of temperature might have upon the
little one especially as he came out of the water quite
cherry-coloured with the cold, but fortunately no evil
consequences ensued. The loving anxiety with whichthe
mother watches over her offspring proves that sloe is not
deficient in maternal instinct. Though she manifested no
signs of irritation at the presence of such a number of
strangers on Sunday, she became obviously uneasy
when the little hippopotamus got outside the bars of
the cage, and she recalled him by a peculiar warning
signal, which the keeper says he never disobeys.
Mr. Bartlett now thinks that there is no reason why
the young one should not arrive at maturity withou
any mishap. The greatest possible pains are taken to
prevent any accident. Two animals are under the
immediate supervision of Mr. Bartlett, and a keeper is
present in the house night sad day.