174 MAMMALIA. 



upon roots and other vegetable substances, and exhibit much fero- 

 city and stupidity. One species is only known. 



H. amphibius^ L.; Buff. Supp. Ill, 4 and 5. (The Hippopota- 

 mus. Now confined to the rivers of the middle and south of 

 Africa. It formerly found its way into Egypt by the Nile, but 

 has long disappeared from that country. 



The bones of a species of Hippopotamus very similar to that 

 of Africa, and those of two or three other successively smaller 

 ones, have been found in Europe. See my Rech. sur les Oss. 

 Foss. torn. 1. 



Sus, Lin. 



Each foot of the Hog consists of two large middle toes armed with 

 strong hoofs, and two much shorter lateral ones that hardly reach 

 the ground ; there is a variable number of incisors, the inferior of 

 which always slant forwards j the canini project from the mouth 

 and curve upwards j the muzzle terminates by a sort of truncated 

 button fitted for turning up the earth ; the stomach is but slightly 

 divided. 



Hogs, properly so called, have twenty-four or twenty-eight grind- 

 ers, of which the posterior are oblong with tuberculous crowns, and 

 the anterior more or less compressed, and six incisors in each jaw. 

 S. scrophtti L. ; Buff. V, xiv and xvii. The Wild Hog, 

 which is the parent stock of our Domestic Hog and its varie- 

 ties, has prismatic tusks that curve outwards and slightly up- 

 wards ; the body short and thick ; straight ears ; the hair bristled 

 and black j the young ones striped black and white. It does 

 great injury to fields in the vicinity of forests, by tearing up the 

 ground in search of roots. 



The Domestic Hog varies in size, in the height of its legs, in 

 the direction of its ears, and in colour, being sometimes white, 

 and at others black, red or varied. The great utility of this 

 animal from the facility with which it is fed, the flavour of its 

 flesh, the length of time it can be preserved by means of salt, 

 and finally, from its fecundity, which greatly surpasses that of 

 any other animal of its size, the female frequently producing 

 fourteen at a litter, is well known to every one. The period of 

 gestation is four months, and they produce twice a year. The 

 Hog continues to increase in size for five or six years, is pro- 

 lific at one, and sometimes lives for twenty. Although naturally 

 savage, they are social animals, and know how to defend them- 

 selves against Wolves by forming a circle, and showing a front 

 to the enemy in every direction. Voracious and clamorous, 

 they do not even spare their own young. This species is spread 



