242 SUIDJE. 



and I think it as worthy of specific separation as many other recognized 

 species. Mr. Elliot states that the Indian wild hog differs considerably 

 from the German one, the former of which is altogether a more active- 

 looking animal, the German having a stronger, heavier appearance. He 

 was the first, I believe, to point out the differences, some of which, more- 

 over, are perceptible in domesticated individuals of the two countries. 



Gray too, in describing a Sus indicus from Madras, says bristles more 

 abundant on the front part of the body, legs slender, covered with a few 

 bristles ; skulls of the Indian one have the hinder part of the forehead 

 less high and dilated. 



There appear to be two or three varieties of type in India. Blyth has 

 indicated two different forms of skulls. One skull 14 J inches long, was 

 only 1 J inch wide at the vertex, flat and narrow, with the lower tusks 7 J 

 inches long : the other one was 2J inches wide at the vertex, and the 

 whole vertical aspect of the cranium wider and more convex. The latter 

 he distinguished as Sus bengalensis, and the former as S. indicus. The 

 frontal region is flat in the latter, somewhat convex and broad in the 

 former. The skull of one of the Bengal type was nearly 16 inches 

 long. It is found all over Bengal to the foot of the Himalayas, Arrakan, 

 and probably Assam, Sylhet, <fec. Sus indicus, apud Blyth, is the wild 

 hog of India generally and Ceylon. Gray has indicated* another race, 

 from, the Neelgherries, as Sus neelgherrensis. The wild boar of Bengal 

 is said to be larger, and to stand higher on its legs than those from 

 other parts of India, some large individuals being said to stand nearly 

 40 inches high at the shoulder. 



The wild hog is found throughout India, from the level of the sea to 

 12,000 feet of elevation, wherever there is sufficient shelter either of long 

 grass, low jungle, or forest. It is very numerous in some parts, and does 

 much damage to various crops. It associates in more or less numerous 

 herds, called " sounder" technically, in sporting language in the Deccan, 

 but isolated individuals are frequently met with, especially in long grass. 



Where this forms their chief shelter, they construct a sort of rude abode 

 by cutting a lot of grass and spreading it out carefully on the ground. 

 They then creep under this and raise it up to the proper height, and they 

 remain in these lairs during the day, which afford a good shelter from the 

 heat of the sun. I have seen numerous lairs of this description iii various 



* Cat. of Odteological Specimens, British Museum. 



