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Show 78 DR. MURIE O N AN OSSTRUS FROM THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. [Jan. 27, within the bodies of which the ova of ffistridse are reared, more frequently so than the Artiodactyla. It is not, therefore, to be wondered at that the Hippopotamus, belonging to this group, should be so troubled. During two years' sojourn in the countries bordering the Upper White Nile, our party met with and shot at innumerable Hippopotami ; but only in two instances were the animals with certainty killed and the bodies secured. As may easily be understood, whenever Hippopotami are seen in the river within range, they are fired at by the voyagers ; consequently the animals are shy. Most often under cover of night do they freely snort, and approach close to the vessels. When shot at or hit they quickly disappear ; so it is difficult to tell whether they have received a mortal wound or not. I may further incidentally mention that I have partaken of the flesh, which is beef-like in fibre, but sweeter to the taste. It is peculiar in containing a vast amount of watery or sanguineo-serous element. Thus on being cooked it shrinks very much, and when dried in the sun in strips diminishes in volume in a most extraordinary manner. The adult Hippopotamus from which the grub in question was extracted was killed in the river Ayi, near Wayo, in Moro, lat. 4° 46' N . and long. 30° 26' 20" E., on the 30th January, 1863. It was the day following ere the body was recovered, it having floated some little distance down stream from where it was shot. The cranium in a rough condition alone was brought to camp, the entrails and flesh of the body having been cut up piecemeal and carried off by the Negroes. Whilst ridding the skull of parts liable to decompose I dissected out both eyes, and among the fatty and fibrous tissues of the left orbit was surprised to find a large maggot. For the moment I was inclined to regard it as the produce of a Blowfly, and was amazed at what seemed the excessively rapid growth of the Blowfly's ova; for the Hippopotamus at this time had not been slain above forty hours. More extended examination of the parts, however, convinced m e this could not be the case, as the larva was solitary, situated deeply within the orbit, and differed materially from the common maggot. I thereupon made sketches of the specimen, of the natural size; and these have been reproduced in the accompanying figures. Larva from the orbit of Hippopotamus. Nat. size. A. Upper view. B. Abdominal surface. C. Anal extremity. The characters may be given as undernoted. Colour yellowish white. Body cylindrical, tapering obtusely at |
