AMUSEMENTS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 245, 22 February 1911, Page 2

AMUSEMENTS

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. The first specimen of this uncouth and powerful amphibious monster introduced into Australia is "Lizzie," which arrived m Melbourne by the German liner Annaberg on the .ith October, 1910 direct from Hamburg, where it was purchased by those enterprising c j rcus proprietors, Messrs. Phil and George Wirtii, who paid to Carl Hagenbeck, of the Hamburg Zoo, £1250. The animal, which is only a little one, two years old, and weighs three tons, arrived in the best of health in two huge boxes, which were kept on deck; one served as its bath, being lined with zinc and filled with fresh- clean water daily, and the other served as its cage, where it returned every evening mto a nice dry bed of straw. These animals live in water by day and on dry land at night, and require great care and attention, for although not so delicate as the girafie (the firm's previous venture), it must have a man continually in attendance, and special food and regular hours for dining. There can be no doubt as to the rapid extermination of this animal, as it can be easily shot, and as it lives in or near water it is much sought after. The flesh is considered good as an article of food, the hide and tusks are of considerable value, and its presence in the rivers is considered undesirable to boatmen and others. The influx of Europeans and the civilisation of Africa will in a verv few years be the cause of the total extermination of this leviathan species. \\'h cu these animals become excited, or out of temper, the strange phenomenon 0 f the "blood sweat appears on their skills. The pale choco ate color of their skins becomes densely covered with globular red spots, which look ,fcp ~|„n is in n „ », ffl ' pudding, and which leave a stain upon a handkerchief or .doth. The circus will open in New Plymouth on Friday and Saturuny tcbrunrv 24 and 25, for two nights only A matinee will 1)0 Jlekl on Saturday afternoon. The large zoo will be open from 4 till 3 i„ the afternoon