Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1908-191?, 1908-11-24

hunters questioned on this subject by
Capt Murray could recall a similar
instance
Whenever possible these hippos seem
to relish mudbath, and If there be
a suitable spot in the neighborhood
II is generally safe to say that 1t will
have its nightly visi'a-ts. The anil
mails plunge completely into such wal
lows, where they roll and splash for
quite an hour OF a time. On one OF
he few occas' 'ons on which the mar
rator was tolerated in the vicinity or
a pigmy hippo for any length OF time.
he happened to be seated in a 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 a river as means of escape.
This was at Daru, In Sierra Leone.
where a full grown individual was 8 zen
in bread daylight feeding en- the left
bank of the Mca river, although close
at hand natives were crossing the rail-
way br @, chatterng and shouting
as only negroes can, while directly OPP
posite On the right bank were the
West African Frontier Force barracks
and some men bathing in front OF
them. Altoge her a deal Of noise was
being made on b-th s'des. of which,
Nnu ha MI fnnk tho q yht-
est notice. shot was fired. which
struck the water some three yards
shCrt of the bank on which II was
| quietly feeding, when, after hesitating
or a sc, ,ond, II dived in head first and
was never seen again, although, both
up and down stream, long stretches or
/ the river were In full view. From
| his and other instances II may be Ia
erred Il at these animals have the
power of remaining under water for a
long time, and, while doing 50, of COW
sring a considerable dis s.ance.
They are always extremely difficult
! to approach. and seem to possess a
| wonderful power of scent; indeed, II
| is only nece ssary to cross one OF heir
runs or tunnels to stop that particu-
| lar track being used for some lime 10
come. This has been tried many
| times, and always with the same re-
suit; they will come right up 10 the
point where the run has been crossed,
and then either turn back or turn OF
In n different direction by means OF a
new tunnel.
with so many welldefined tracks it
would seem easy to catch a specimen
by digging pit. To test this couple
of deep pits were dug at a spot litel al
ly intersected with regularly.used
runs, these pits being 80 carefully COW
cred to resemble the surface of the
surrounding ground that II became diff
ficult to walk In the vicinity; In fact
a native on his way home did actually
walk into cne OF the pits In broad day
light. Nevertheless, II 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
depre ,a.ions. They came out of tho
bush by the old tracks, but instead OF
using these TO the point where they
led across the pits, carefully made new
ones on either side.
The pigmy hlppopotamus appears to
be gifted with wonderful power OF
sight. On a certain occasion Capt
Murray was seated on rough plat
form, or machan, about ten feet from
the ground, by the side of a swamp,
the machan itself being well UGder
cover, but looking out on to moonlit
glade some Is yards long, while at the
end OF the glade and on all 8 sdes 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 five minutes,
when a faint snort and the sound Of
movement indicated Its sudden depar
ture.
Taking into consideration Its bulky
shape. and the very dense busl
through which II has to pass. the pig
my hippopotamus Is wonderfully ghost
like and quiet In its movements, unIes
disturbed, its presence being only dc
tected by the faintest rus,le. Thes
notes give US a much better and NOR
authentic idea OF the animal than W
ever had previously. 1t remains
ascertain whether the pigmy hipp,
potamus is confined to the West Coas
or whether. like nest great game an
mails. II extends right across the equ
torial belt.
! r. LYDEKKER-