THE "PECCARY THE BARBGROUSA. 71 



fore-feet, in the acts of eating and drinking. His motions were 

 more neat and agile than those of the common hog ; and from 

 confinement and attention, he became gentle, and would allow 

 himself to be stroked : but when offended, he assumed so fierce 

 an aspect, that even the persons to whose care he was intrusted, 

 dare not approach him. When occasionaHy set at liberty, he 

 would frisk about with the utmost gaiety ; and sometimes pursue 

 the fallow deer, or other animals. 



THE PECCARY OF MEXICO, 



Is an animal very much resembling the hog ; but as they will 

 not breed together, it appears to be a distinct species. 



These animals live chiefly in mountainous places, and feed on 

 fruits and roots : they also eat serpents, lizards, and toads, and 

 are very dexterous in first taking off the skins with their fore- 

 feet and their teeth. 



The whole body of this animal is covered with strong bristles, 

 which, when he is irritated, rise erect, like the bristles of a 

 hedge-hog. 



These animals are exceedingly fierce. M. de la Borde relates, 

 that, being once engaged in hunting a drove of peccaries, he and 

 his party were surrounded by them, and obliged to take refuge 

 upon a fragment of rocks ; and although they kept up a constant 

 fire among them, the ferocious creatures did not retire until many 

 of them were killed. 



THE BARBGROUSA, 



Although commonly classed with the hog kind, differs, in many 

 particulars, from that quadruped, especially in the length of its 

 legs, the slenderness of its body, and the texture of its hair, 

 which is soft and fine, resembling wool, and of a dark grey colour, 

 mixed with red. 



The most striking characteristic of the hog, observable in this 

 animal, is its tusks, which resemble those of the wild boar, and 

 are of the most beautiful kind of ivory. 



The barbgrousa is a gregarious animal : it is easily tamed ; 

 its flesh is well tasted, and its body emits an exquisite scent. It 

 exists in different parts of Asia and Africa, and is very common 

 in several of the Oriental islands, especially in that of Borneo. 

 This animal is, by some travellers, said to repose in a very sin- 

 gular manner, by fixing one of its upper tusks on the branch of 

 a tree, and suffering its body to hang down. In this posture, 

 suspended by a single tooth, it will remain a whole night, secure 

 from every danger. 



These kinds of quadrupeds already enumerated, and briefly 

 described, are those which are chiefly useful to man, in affording 



