ANIMALS OF NORTH AMERICA. 105 



Pachydcrmata\ or thick-skinned animals, have only one 

 representative on this continent. 



Description. This order includes all non-ruminant hoofed 

 animals, or such as have hoofs whether divided or not, but do 

 not chew the cud. 



The only animal of this species indigenous to the country, 

 which finds its way into the Northern Continent, is the 

 COLLARED PECCARY, sometimes called INDIAN HOG (Dicotyles 

 torquatus) ; it derives its name " collared" from a peculiar 

 arrangement of whitish bristles rising up from its fore legs and 

 meeting over its neck, which it has the power of erecting 

 when excited, frightened, or irritated. It closely resembles 

 the common hog in shape, structure, habits, and properties, 

 though not quite equalling it in size. This animal has a great 

 aversion to snakes, and will hunt them out with great avidity ; 

 when it sees one of these reptiles it raises its bristles with a 

 most ferocious air, its eyes seem to flash fire, and gathering 

 all its strength, with a succession of quick leaps it brings 

 itself down upon the snake's neck with all four feet together 

 with amazing rapidity, until its victim is exhausted, when it 

 ravenously devours it. These animals are generally met with 

 in herds ; and if the hunter ventures to attack or wound one 

 of them when its companions are near, he stands a very good 

 chance of being torn in pieces unless he takes refuge in some 

 tree ; and even then, they have been known to surround it, 

 keeping him a close prisoner until succor arrive. They 

 are only met with as we approach the southern latitudes, 

 westward of the Mississippi River ; eastward of it they are 

 not known to exist : it is met with in Texas, extending to the 

 Pacific, where the line of its range runs as high as the 33rd 

 parallel, following the isothermal line, thus proving that it 

 cannot endure the rigors of a severe winter. This animal 

 must not be confounded with the wild hog, which like the 

 wild oxen and horses, are the offspring of the cattle left to 

 run wild by the Spaniards nearly two centuries ago, and 



