748 THE BABYROUSSA. 
The flesh and fat of the Hog is especially valuable on account of its aptitude for taking 
salt without being rendered hard and indigestible by the process ; and the various breeds 
of domesticated Swine are noted for their adaptation to form pork or bacon in the shortest 
time and of the best quality. A full account of the various English varieties, together 
with the mode of breeding them and developing their peculiar characteristics, may be found 
in many books which are devoted specially to the subject. 
The WiLD Boar of India is reckoned by some naturalists to be a separate species, and 
deserves a few words on account of its superiority in size, strength, and swiftness, to the 
ordinary European Swine. 
This animal is a sad plague to the agricultural population of India, as it makes terrible 
havoc among the crops, and is especially fond of frequenting the sugar-canes, eating them 
and chopping them into short lengths, which it forms into hut-lke receptacles for its young. 
The Boar is a most fierce and savage animal, and if driven from the cane-brake, will rush 
at any man or animal that may be within his reach, and cut them terribly with his sharp 
tusks. Even the sow can do considerable damage with her teeth, but instead of ripping 
like her mate, she bites sharply and rapidly. When the animal is fairly roused, and takes 
to his heels, he puts the mettle of the swiftest and stanchest horse fairly to the test, and 
even on ground where the horse has all the advantage, he will frequently distance his 
pursuers, and regain his domicile in the cane-brake. Among the plantations are numbers 
of old disused wells, the sides of which have fallen in and were never properly filled 
up. In these wells the wild hog loves to lie, for the mouth of the well is so overgrown 
with thick verdure that the aperture is scarcely visible even to a person that stands on 
its brink, while from those who are not aware of its precise locality it is entirely hidden. 
The spear is generally employed in Boar-hunting, or “pig-sticking,” as the sport is 
familiarly termed, and is either thrown from the horse’s back, or is held like a lance and 
directed so as to receive the animal's charge. When driven to bay, the Indian Boar is as 
savage an animal as can be imagined, as with flashing eyes and foaming mouth he 
dashes first at one and then another of the horsemen, sometimes fairly driving them trom 
the spot, and remaining master of the field. 
ONE of the most formidable looking of Swine is the BAByRoussA of Malacca. 
This strange creature is notable for the curious manner in which the tusks are 
arranged, four of these weapons being seen to project above the snout. The tusks of the 
lower jaw project upward on each side of the upper, as is the case with the ordinary boar 
of Europe, but those of the upper jaw are directed in a very strange manner. Their 
sockets, instead of pointing downw ae are curved upwards, so that the tooth, in filling 
the curvatures of the socket, passes through a hole in the upper lip, and curls boldly over 
the face. The curve, as well as the comparative size of these weapons, is extremely 
variable, and is seldom precisely the same in any two individuals. The upper tusks do 
not seem to be employed as offensive weapons ; indeed, in many instances they would be 
quite useless for such a purpose, as they are so strongly curved that their points nearly 
reach the skin of the forehead. The female is devoid of these curious appendages. 
From all accounts, the Babyroussa seems to be a very fierce and dangerous animal, 
being possessed of great strength, and able to inflict terrible wounds with the tusks of the 
lower jaw. A naval officer who had experienced several encounters with this creature, 
spoke of it with great respect, and seemed to hold its warlike abilities in some awe. The 
adult male Babyroussa is considerably larger than the boar of England, and the officer 
above mentioned told me that he had seen them as large as donkeys. It is a very good 
swimmer, and will take to the water for its own gratification, swimming considerable 
distances without any apparent effort. 
The skin of the Babyroussa is rather smooth, being sparsely covered with short, bristly 
hairs. The object of the upper tusks is at present unknown, although certain old writers 
asserted that the animal was accustomed to suspend himself to branches by means of the 
appendage. The Babyroussa lives in herds of considerable size, and is found inhabiting 
the marshy parts of its native land. 
