The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-19
L1HERTAN HIPpoporA m,,s.

Until within the last five or six years. il was snp
posed there was but one living species Of the hippo
poiamns, or river, horse, in The world the imnens
anphibious monster as large as the rhinOcefos ant
almost us much dreaded, which has, from the ear
liest ages, been known 10 inhabit the Nile and th,
rivers Of Nnbia and Abyssino, and has in our owl
times been also found In most OF the waters Of Airet
from Scncgambia as far sonth as Cape Colony
This animal has been known 10 reach the inlinens,
length OF seventeen feet and stand seven feet high
with girh of fifteen or sixteen feet and an esii,na
ted weight of three or four thousand pounds. Sucl
creature would seem to deserve the name as il
exhibits The nnlamable ferocily Of The oBehemolh
Job; and IL is altogether too nnmanageabe charac
| Ter ever 10 have found place In any menngere o
ancient or modern days. There are several specie,
known OF fossil hippopoiami, showing tbsr superior
abundance in the antedinvian ages: but the Hippo
poamus amphihous las the naluraliss call IT,
was, as we have mentioned, until recently, sup
posed TO be The solitary representative Of the living
genus
We nre indebted 10 the observations of American
Swans for the discovery Of second species of hp.
nopoiamus in ihervers Of Liberia, some distance In
the INTERIOR and especially in The ST. Pan's; from
which, In the year 1913 Two skulls We're procured by
DR.. Goheen, Colonial Physician, and sent 10 olii
distinguished ownsman, DR.. s. G. Morton, who
ascerained their character, and published an account
Of The animal, under the name Of I'll. Lberiensis, in
the following year.--The Journal of the Academy Of
Natural Sciences,i of Philadelphia contains nAd-
dtonal Observations on the subject, by Dr. Nor
ton; from which we CLEAN our account Of the new
species.
The Libcran animal may be considered quite n
little bIou Of n hippopotamus, compared with his
more ancient ond colossal rival. II Is said BY Dr.
Goheen TO vary In weight from four to seven hun
dred pounds; the latter weight, however according
to DR.. Norton being considerably greater than the
osieology of the animal would seem 10 Indicate; and
II Is compared In bulk to middle sized heifer
Although, of course amphbious and slow und heavy
IN Their notions these animals are said sometimes
TO stray two three miles away from the rivers on
which occasions they are killed by the natives, who
arc fond of the icsh and esteem IL intermediate in
flavor between beef and veal" They never disturb
persons IN boats or canoes, and may, therefore, be
considered as having a greater capacity for cvza-
ton, and perhaps aptitude for domes,icaon, than
the larger species.
Dr. Morlons discovery is a very interesting one
Dr. Hugh Falconer, the distinguished author Of the
Fauna Sivalenss SAYS zone OF the most interesting
and remarkable that has been made in recent
zoology during the present century" How little
however, the animal is yet known 10 the civilized
World may be inferred from the fact mentioned by
the museums Of Europe, and that The only parts
known 10 have left Africa are the two skulls III his
possession.
Notwithstanding this rarity, as the creature s, in
rcahy quite abundant within one hundred and fifty
niles Of the sea coast Of Liberia Dr. Morton ex.
presses the hope and throws out the idea that speci-
mems Of the living animal itself might be readily pro-
cured and brought 10 the United States carried 10
Europe, an idea which, II II should escape our mer-
camille and seafaring friends trading in that quarter,
or the members Of the Colonization Society who are
favorable TO science, s worthy the attention. as O
good speculation, OF some OF the menagerie propfe,
tors of the United States
by the cruel munifcence of the Roman Empe.
rors," says pr. Morton, The soliiudes of Europe.
ASIA and hricn annually taxed 10 furnish wild
animals Tor the bloody sports Of the anphitheaire
" all the large quadupeds the HIppopoiamus was
me only one thai escaped the sacrce on ccoun,
Of his size, which would have been no obstacle bur
rom ms amphibious habits which prevented him
from being taken TO Rome, or exhibited ia Europe
but The smaller species now introduce 10 notice Is
Of 50 moderate bulk, even In adut age, as to rem
der his capture and transportation Of comparatively
easy accomplishments md feel confident that moth
ing more VIII be necessary 10 success Than on adc-
qpaIe seward 10 ench Of the inhabitants Of Liberia
a. may be disposed 10 attempt novel enterprise
hall grown animal, IL not really doce, might al
ens prove tfnetnble; and BY studious adaptation OF
ms iood and attention 20 his nqnatc habla, we can
sss no great difficulty In introducing the Lbsrian
hippopomntus Into the menageries OF Europe and
America, The skin and entire skeleton can no
doubt Dc readily OBJ ained and would constitute most
Instructive additions 10 any collection Of zoology or
comparative anatomy "