Thian Shan Wild Boar 279 



Prince Demidoff in the Caucasus weighed 372 lbs., while one shot by the 

 Duke of Orleans in Spain turned the scale at 302 lbs. 



The swamps bordering the Black. Sea and the Caspian are likewise 

 flivourite resorts of the wild boar ; and these animals would be still more 

 numerous than they are, were they not relentlessly hunted down and killed 

 by the peasantry on account of the damage they inflict on corn-crops. 



The two longest tusks of the European wild boar recorded by Mr. 

 Rowland Ward respectively measure 11^ and ii:|. inches along the outer 

 curve. These dimensions are exceeded by one normal and one malformed 

 tusk of the Indian wild boar, as well as by one of the Javan species. 



THE THIAN SHAN WILD BOAR 



[S//S scrofa nigripes) 



Certain skulls and skins of wild swine obtained by the members of the 

 Second Yarkand Expedition at Kashgar were described in 1875 by Mr. 

 W. T. Blanford ' as probably indicating a variety, or local race, for which 

 the name nigripes was suggested. The animals from which the skins 

 were taken inhabited the Thian Shan Mountains. Mr. Blantord's 

 description is as follows : — 



"The two specimens brought, skins with skulls, are ot large size, and 

 appear to agree hiirly in external characters with the common European 

 wild boar, except that the whole of the fore and hind-teet, with the 

 greater part of the legs, are nearly black. Elsewhere the colour is dull, 

 rather light brown, the fur consisting, as usual, of long bristles and shorter 

 woolly hairs ; the former black, except towards the ends, where they 

 are pale yellowish brown ; the latter rather light hair-brown ; just around 



' "Journ. Jsiat. Soc. Bengal, vol. xliv. pp. 2, 112 (1875J; and Mammalia of Second Yarkand 

 Expedition, p. 79 (1879). 



