The mother is generally much attached to her young. She buries it in the sand, leaving an aperture through which it may breathe, and she lies at its side. If the temperature changes, or she fancies the calf has not sufficient heat, she will cover the aperture for a time with her head, or some part of her body. She gathers nuts, which the young one likes, and will sometimes wander for miles along the strand of rivers to seek a small fish, which she kills, and brings back to the spot where the calf has been left buried in the sand. When the young one is sickly, and does not respond to the signs of the mother, she fancies the little creature does not like her, and leaves it to die. REARING HIPPOPOTAMI. In Montalluyah there are large lakes, protected and enclosed by iron-work, where hippopotami are reared. These are interspersed with land, on which we deposit large quantities of sand and moss. We are very successful in rearing the animals, but we take care that they should have facilities for following their natural habits. I believe you have not been able to rear these beasts in Western Europe. You might do so by observing their habits, and even by attending to a few simple precautions. If you were once successful they would increase rapidly, and you would soon discover their inestimable value. This is the course we pursue when the animal is reared in confined situations: As soon as the female has conceived, a quantity of sand and moss is placed on the ground at the side of the water. This is done without loss of time, that the beast may be accustomed to the sight. Shortly, if left to herself, she will wallow in the mixture, and as soon as the young one is born, will place it in the sand, covering it over with moss. As already observed, the female, when running wild in a state of nature, lays the young one in the sand as soon as it is born, covering every part of the body, and then overlaying it with moss. On this account, we take care to deposit the sand and moss where the animal can easily find them. The beasts are of a very suspicious nature, and if the sand and moss were not placed near the female until after her young one was born, she would be afraid of them. The mother is treated with great kindness, and is not allowed in any way to be teased or used harshly.