THE BABIROUSSA. 217 



which were made from specimens brought by the 

 Astrolabe to the Paris collection. They were a 

 male and female ; the latter bred once after arriving 

 in Europe, but the cold gradually producing dis- 

 eased lungs, cut them off in about three years after. 

 The male was aged, and remarkably fat, which 

 rendered him inactive, and his short life was 

 passed in sleeping, eating, and drinking. The 

 female was younger, and more active ; when the 

 male retired to his litter, she would cover him 

 completely over, and afterwards herself slip under 

 the straw, so that both were entirely concealed 

 from sight. The skin of these animals was very 

 thinly furnished with hair ; and that which grew 

 upon them was long and hard. The colour of 

 the SKin was of a uniform greyish tint, changing 

 to fawn colour on the belly. The number of the 

 incisor teeth in the Babiroussa differ from those 

 of the true Swine, but the structure is the same. 

 The tusks in the old male are not so dangerous 

 as those of the Wild Boar during attack, owing 

 to their curvature, but nevertheless they are 

 formidable weapons. 



These animals abound in the Molucca Islands, 

 and a few of the others of the Indian Archipelago, 

 chiefly towards the interior. They seem difficult 

 to obtain, notwithstanding their acknowledged 

 plenty ; and when hunted, are said to take the 



