THE TOOTH OF A HIPPOPOTAMUS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 206, 16 March 1877, Page 17

THE TOOTH OF A HIPPOPOTAMUS.

++— The baby hippopotaus "Baba" has become the chief pet of the Aquarium, much to the disgust of the trained seal and the learned otter. Baba is docile, and when not following his keeper lies quiet in a sunny spot near one of the windows on the Thirty-fifth Street side where with lazy content' he submits to having his ears scratched by the children. Baba has his troubles, however, and for the past day or two had evidently been suffering from some derangement. jf^Doc," his keeper, finally decided that it was toothache. An examination showed, in fact, that one of his milk teeth was badly decayed. " Doc " said it must come out, and speedily improvised forceps out of a pair of gas nippers. Baba obediently opened his mouth, and " Doc" laid hold of the tooth. Then the forceps slipped and the keeper sat down with a bump amid the suppressed laughter and ironical applause of the spectators, while Baba looked lazily out of his half -closed eyes, as if to say, " What is all this fuss about?" When with, grim determination "Doc" approached again, Baba uttered a rather dissatisfied grunt, but opened his mouth. This time the tongs held, and a strong pull proved too much for Baba's equanimity. He got to his legs with a 600 pound jump. "Doc" held on with all his might; there was a moment of breathless suspense, and then the keeper again suddenly took a sitting posture, waving, however, with a triumphant air, the huge forceps, in the jaws of which glistened the white molar. Baba stepped off a few steps and stood for a moment gazing at his keeper. He shook his head as if to see that everything was all right, and then came and rubbed his head againßt his friend, as if to express his thanks. A rinse of the mouth with a sponge and Baba was himsslf again, and trotted contentedly after his keeper, the pair being followed by a crowd of admirers. — 'N. Y. World.'