The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1908-12-19

hunters questioned on this subject by
Capt. Murray could recall similar
instance.
Whenever possible these hippos seem
to relish a mud-bath, and II there be
suitable spot In the neighborhood
1t Is generally safe to say that 1t will
have Its nightly visitants. The ami.
mails plunge completely into such wal.
lows, where they roll and splash for
quite an hour at time. On one OF
the few occasions on which the mar.
rator was tolerated in the vicinity OF
pigmy hippo for any length Of time.
he happened to be seated In q tree.
almost directly above the spot where
the animal was enjoying Its bath. The
night was inky black, and shot would
have been too cruel to think of.
The clear water Of the rivers does
rot seem to offer much attraction to
the hippo. although Capt. Murray saw
one use river a. means Of escape.
This was at Daru, in Sierra Leone,
where a fullgrown Individual was seen
In broad daylight feeding on the left
bank Of the Moa river, although close
At hand natives were crossing the rail
way bridge. chatterins and shouting
as only negroes can. while directly op.
posite on the right bank were the
West African Frontier Force barracks
and some men bathing in front Of
them. Altogether deal Of noise wa
being made on both sides. Of which,
however, the pigmy took not the slight
est notice. A shot was flred, which
struck the water some three yssda
short Of the bank on which 1t wa
quietly feeding. when, after hesitatina
for q second, 1t dived in head nrst and
was never seen again. although. both
up and down stream. long stretches Of
the river were in full view. From
this and other instances 1t may be in.
ferred that these animals have the
power Of remaining under water for .
long time. and. while doing 80. Of COW
ering a considerable distance.
They are always extremely dimcult
to approach. and seem to possess q
wonderful power of scent; indeed. II
Ia only necessary to cross one Of their
runs or tunnels to stop that particu.
lar track being used for some time to
come. This has been tried many
times, and always with the same re-
suit; they will come right up to the
point where the run has been crossed,
and then either turn back OF turn on
In a different direction by means Of .
new tunnel.
With so many well-deaned tracks II
would seem easy to catch a specimen
by digging a pit. To test this couple
of deep pits were dug at spot literal
ly intersected with regularly-used
runs. these pits being 80 carefully GOV.
cred to resemble the surface of the
surrounding ground that 1t became DIFF.
ficult to walk in the vicinity; in fact
native on his way home did actually
walk into one Of the pits in broad day.
light. Nevertheless, 1t was not good
enough to deceive the willy hippo. The
pits were dug on the edge Of \ cas-
sada farm. but did not in any way stop
the animals from continuing their
depredations. They came out of the
bush by the old tracks. but instead Of
using these to the point where they
led across the pits. carefullyrmade new
ones on either side.
The pigmy hippopotamus appears to
be gifted with wonderful power Of
sight. On \ certain occasion Capt.
Murray was seated on = rough plat.
form, or machan, about ten feet from
the ground. by the side Of swamp,
the machan itself being well under
cover, but looking out on to moonit
glade some is yards long. while at the
end Of the glade and ON all sides was
dense bush. A pigmy hippo was heard
approaching the edge Of the glade.
where 1t stayed without making .
sound. but all the time well under
cover, for. perhaps. about i've minutes.
when q faint snort and the sound of
movement indicated Its sudden depar.
ture.
Taking into consideration Its bulky
shape, and the very dense bush
through which 1t has to pass. the pig
my hippopotamus is wonderfully ghost
Ike and quiet in its movements, unless
disturbed. its presence being only de.
tected by the faintest rustic. These
notes give US much better and moro
authentic idea of the animal than We
ever had previously. It remains to
ascertain whether the pigmy hippo
potamus II confined to the West Coast,
or whether, like most great game ami
mails, It extends right across the eQua-
torial belt