164 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



ARTIODACTYLIAN NON-RUMINANTS SWINE PECCARY HIPPOPOTAMUS. 



The non-Euminants consist of the Swine, (viz., the Peccary, the Sow, the Wart Hogs (Pha- 

 cocH^RUS and Potamochjerus), and the Babirussa) and the Hippopotamus. 



(SuiD.E.) Swine, Babirussa, and Peccary. (Map 30.) This family, with the exeeiition of the 

 Peccary, is confined to the Okl World. Indeed, it is to be observed that not the Ruminants 

 alone, but the whole group of Pachyderms, whether in the past or the recent epochs, have always 

 been poorly represented in the New World. 



There are several species of Hog, some of which may be distinct and good species, but on the 

 whole they are very doubtful. The Indian Wild Boar differs from the others in the number of its 

 dorso-lumbar vertebras ; but others are probably the wild offspring of the common Hog altered by 

 climate. The head-quarters of this family seem to be the East Indies and the Indian Archipelago 

 in which there are found in Celebes the Babirussa, in New Guinea the Sus Papuensis, in Java the 

 Sus verrucosus, in Java and Sumatra the Sus vitt.^tus, and in Borneo Sus barbatus, besides two 

 other wild species according to Mr. St. John. In Africa are found the Wart Hogs, forming 

 the sub-genus Phacoch.erus. They occur in South Africa, and also in Abyssinia and 

 West Africa ; but not north of the Saharan desert. The Swine when they break out into new 

 species seem to indidge the most grotesque vagaries — the Babirussa and the Wart Hogs being 

 two as abnormal and extraordinary -looking creatures as one would wish to see. The fact of 

 Africa and the Indian Archipelago being alike the scene of these saturnalia, is another grain of 

 evidence that an ancient connexion once existed between them. 



Peccary. — (Dicoty'i.es.) Swine are represented in America by the Peccary. The genus contains 

 two species only, — Dicoty'les torquatus, the Collared Peccary, and D. labiatus, the white-lipped 

 Peccary. Dr. Baii'd mentions that the former has a much wider range in America than is supposed 

 by European systematic writers. In Johnston's " Physical Atlas " its most northerly limit is marked at 

 Guatemala ; but it extends aU through Mexico (one of its provincial names being the Mexican Hog), 

 and even as far north in the United States as the Red River of Arkansas, in latitude 34° North. Its 

 western limit in North America is not ascertained, although it is said to be found in part of 

 California. It extends through South America from the Caribbean Sea to the Straits of Magellan. 

 I can find no notice of its having been seen west of the Andes, south of Guayaquil ; north of 

 that port it occurs on both sides of the mountains. The other species, D. labiatus, or white-lipped 

 Peccary, is confined to the forests of South America, and does not reach so far south as the open 

 plains of La Plata. 



America is bettor supplied with fossil forms of this familj' than with recent. Thej' are chicflv, 



