BABIRUSA 461 
Head of Babirusa. 
The BABIRUSA (Babirusa alfurus). 
Pig-deer (to translate the Malay name) are not the least notable of 
several remarkable animals restricted to Celebes and Boru; the peculiar 
form and position of the upper tusks of the boars rendering them almost 
comparable to horns. Unlike other pigs, in which they curve upwards 
from the sides of the lips, the upper tusks grow from the centre of the 
muzzle, piercing through the skin, and as they are not worn by the 
lower pair, attain extraordinary dimensions. Both pairs are quite 
devoid of enamel ; the lower ones growing from the sides of the jaw in 
the ordinary manner. The cheek-teeth are somewhat less numerous 
than in ordinary pigs. In other parts of their organisation babirusas 
are, however, very like the latter, although the nearly naked skin of 
B. alfurus is of a coarse and rugged nature, being almost comparable 
to the bark of a tree. The height at the middle of the back, the 
highest point of the animal, is about 42 inches. Unlike the rest of 
its tribe, the female babirusa produces only a pair of young at a birth, 
which are of the same uniformly slaty hue as their parent. Babirusa 
are confined to the islands of Celebes and Boru, where they afford good 
sport to the natives, who drive them into nets and then spear them. 
The Boru species (4. orzentalzs) is clothed with greyish hair, and also 
differ in the character of the skull and tusks from the Celebes 
B. alfurus, 
