between five and six months. This, therefore, with a few additional days, may be regarded as the age of our hippopotamus on reaching Cairo. The color of his skin, at that time, was for the most part of a dull reddish tone, věry like that (to compare great things with small) of a naked, new-born mouse.

2. The commander hastened to the palace to report his arrival with the prize to his royal master, into the charge of whose officers he most gladly resigned it. His Highness, having been informed of the little affair of the succession of "cows," determined to place the vivacious,' unweaned "infant prodigy" in the hands of the British consul without a moment's delay. The announcement was accordingly made with oriental' formality by the chief officer of Abbas Pasha's palace, to whom the Honorable Mr. Murray made a suitable present in return for the good tidings.

3. A lieutenant of the Nubian army, with a party of soldiers, arrived shortly after, bringing with them the animal, whose renown had already filled the whole city. He excited full as much curiosity in Cairo, as he has since done here, being quite as great a rarity. This will be easily intelligible when the difficulties of the capture and the immense distance of the journey are taken into consideration, with all the contingencies' of men, boats, provisions, cows, and other necessary expenses.

4. The overjoyed consul had already made all his preparations for receiving the illustrious stranger. He had, in the first place, secured the services of Hamet Safi Cannana, well known for his experience and skill in the care and management of animals. A commodious apartment had then been fitted up in the court-yard of the consul's house, with one door leading out to a bath. As the winter would have to be passed in Cairo, proper means were employed for making this a tepid or warm bath. Here then our hippopotamus lived, "the observed of all observers," drinking so many gallons of milk a day that he soon produced a scarcity of that article in Cairo.

5. Meanwhile active preparations were making for his arrival in Alexandria, to be shipped on board the Ripon steamer. The

1 Vi vācious, lively; active; full of life.

'Prodigy, something very remarkable and uncommon.

"O`ri ĕnt' al, pertaining to the orient or east; eastern.

* Con tin' gen cies, events that happen or are about to happen.

vessel was furnished with a house on the main-deck, opening by steps down into a tank' in the hold, containing four hundred gallons of water. It had been built and fitted up at Southampton from a plan furnished by Mr. Mitchell, Secretary of the Zoological Gardens in the Regent's Park, to whose energies and foresight we are indebted for the safe possession of this grotesque, good-tempered, and unique monster.

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6. The tank, by various arrangements, they contrived to fill with fresh water every other day. A large quantity was taken on board in casks; a fresh supply at Malta; and, besides this, which was by no means enough, they made use of the condensed water of the engines, which amounted to upward of three hundred gallons per day.

7. As there are some hippopotami who enjoy the sea on certain coasts of the world, it is not improbable but our friend would soon have become used to sea-water; but Mr. Mitchell was determined to run no risks, prudently considering that, in the first place, the strength of the salt water, to one whose mother had been accustomed, and her ancestors for generations, to the mild streams of Nilus, might disagree with "young pickle;" and secondly, if he chanced to like it amazingly, how would he bear the change when he arrived at his mansion in the Regent's Park. Fresh water, therefore, was provided for his bath every other day throughout the voyage.

8. The British consul began to prepare for the departure of his noble guest at the end of April; and in the early part of May, the consul took an affectionate leave of him, and would have embraced him, but that the extraordinary girth of his body rendered such a demonstra'tion impossible.

9. During the voyage, "our fat friend" attached himself strongly to his attendant and interpreter, Hamet; indeed, the devotion to his person which this assiduous' and thoughtful person had manifested from his first promotion to the office, had been of a kind to secure such a result from any one at all

1 Tank, (tångk), a large basin or cistern for holding water.

2 Zō`o logic al, belonging to the life of animals. The Zoological Gardens are gardens where many kinds of living creatures are kept.

3

Unique, (yu něk), without a like or equal.

'Condensed',made thick or close. Cold condenses steam into water.

'As sĭd' u oùs, constant and close attention; devoted; unwearied.

accessible to kindly affections. Hamet had commenced by sleeping side by side with his charge in the house at Cairo, and adopted the same arrangement for the night during the first week of the voyage to England.

10. Finding, however, as the weather grew warmer, and the hippopotamus bigger and bigger, that this was attended with some inconvenience, Hamet had a hammock slung from the beams immediately over the place where he used to sleep-in fact, just over his side of the bed-by which means he was raised two or three feet above his usual position. Into this hammock got Hamet, and having assured the hippopotamus, both by his voice, and by extending one arm over the side so as to touch him, that he was there as usual at his side, and "all was right," he presently fell asleep.

11. How long he slept, Hamet does not know, but he was ǎwoke by the sensation of a jerk and a hoist, and found himself lying on the bed in his old place, close beside our fat friend. Hamet tried the experiment once more; but the same thing again occurred. No sooner was he asleep than the hippopotamus got up-raised his broad nose beneath the heaviest part of the hammock that swung lowest, and by an easy and adroit! toss, pitched Hamet clean out. After this, Hamet, acting on his rule of never thwarting his charge in anything reasonable, abandoned the attempt of a separate bed, and took up his nightly quarters by his side as before.

12. As for the voyage, it was passed pleasantly enough by the most important of the illustrious strangers on board. Two cows and ten goats had been taken on board for his sole use and service; these, however, not being found sufficient for a growing youth," the ship's cow was confiscated' for the use of his table; and this addition, together with we forget how many dozen sacks of Indian corn-meal, enabled him to reach our shōres in excellent health and spirits.

13. A word as to the title of "river-horse," when taken in conjunction with his personal appearance, his habits, and his diët. The hippopotamus has nothing in common with the

1 A droit', having or using dexterity or skill; skillful.

3 Con' fis cat ed, taken, as a punishment, for the public use; appro

2 Thwart' ing, crossing, as a pur- priated. pose; opposing.

• The, (thй), see Rule 3, p. 24.

horse; he seems to us rather an aquatic1 pig, or a four-footed land-porpoise. In fact, he appears to partake of the wild-boar, the bull, and the porpoise-the latter predominating at present; but when he gets his tusks, we much fear there will be an alteration in his manners for the worse. As to his eventual size, the prospect is alarming. He is at present only seven months old, and he will continue growing till he is fifteen years of age.

SECTION X.

I.

40. ORNITHOLOGY."

T is surprising to see how few of all the birds which annu

Ially visit us are known by name, and how little their habits

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are understood. Most natives of New England' are acquainted with the blue jay, one of the earliest of our visitors, who comes sounding his penny trumpet, as a herald of the spring, and Either amüses himself by playing pranks upon other mōre serious birds, or entertains them by acting, to the life, the part of an angry Frenchman.

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2. Every miller and vagrant fisherman knows the belted kingfisher, who sits for hours upon his favorite dead branch, looking, with his calm, bright eye, to the lowest depth of the waters. The robin also makes himself welcome, not only by the tradition of the kindness shown by his Europe'an relation to the children in the wood, but by his hearty whistle, lifted up, as if he knew that all would be thankful to hear that the winter is over and gone, and his familiarity with man, whereby, he shows his belief, that they who least deserve confidence are sometimes made better by being trusted.

3. The solemn crow, who is willing to repose the same con

1 A quǎt' ic, pertaining to, inhabiting, or frequenting water.

? Or`ni thŏl' o gy, a description of birds; the science which examines and describes the nature and habits of birds.

every year; year by year.

• England, (ing'gland).

'Va' grant, moving without certain direction; wandering.

"Tradition, a story told from father to son; something handed An' nu al ly, yearly; returning down from age tú age,

fidence in man, taking only the additional precaution' of keeping out of his reach; the bobolink, or rice-bunting, who tells man, in so many words, that he cares nothing about him, not he; the swallow, that takes his quarters in our barns, or the one that passes up and down our chimneys with a noise like thunder; the purple martin, that offers to pay his house-rent by keeping insects from our gardens; the snow-bird, that comes riding from the arctic' circle upon the winter storm; and the baltimore, or golden robin, that glances like a flame of fire through the green caverns of foliage,-will almost complete the catalogue of those which are familiarly known to man.

4. We say familiarly known, because there are many, which people in general think they know, and which are yet sadly misrepresented. The farmer, for example, accuses the woodpecker of boring his trees, when he only enlarges with his bill the hole which the grub had made, and, darting in his long, ǎrrowy tongue, puts a stop to its mining forever. Many a poor bird, in like manner, after having slain his thousands of insects, which were laying waste the orchard and the garden, is sentenced to death, as guilty of the very offenses which he has been laboriously preventing.

5. There are few scenes in which justice is so completely reversed, as when we see some idle young knave permitted to go forth with a fowling-piece, to murder creatures, of which it is not too much to say, that they have done more good in the world (it is a bold speech, we confess) than ever he will do evil. Applause is often bestowed for such exploits by fathers, who, in rejoicing ignorance, congratulate themselves on having sons so efficient and useful.

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6. We hear complaints annually, from all parts of the United States, that some insect or another is destroying the fruit, and proposing to offer a large reward to any one who will discover a remedy. Lest we should be anticipated in our design, we

1 Precaution, (pre ka shun), previous caution or care; means taken. beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success.

2 Arctic, northern; the arctic circle is a term here used for the cold countries of the north.

9 Con grǎt' u late, to wish joy to. Efficient, (ef fish' ent), causing effects; not incapable, inactive, or slack.

'An tĭc′ i pât ed, forestalled ; taken up beforehand, or before the proper time.