LETTER "XXIV. 



which he appeared much delighted, though 

 sometimes drew blood from his mouth and tongue. 



The only two animals ef this species that have been 

 brought into England for a considerable number of 

 years, were both purchased for the menagerie, Exe- 

 ter 'Change, The first, of which the skin is still pre- 

 served, came from the East Indies; arriv*J in Eng- 

 land in the year 1790, when he was about five year& 

 old: and was soon afterward purchased by Mr. Pid- 

 cock, for seven hundred pounds. 



His docility was equal to that of a tolerably trac- 

 table pig: he would obey his master's orders, walk 

 about the room to exhibit himself, and even allow his 

 visitants to pat him on the back or side. His 1 vole* 

 bore some resemblance to the bleating of a calf, and 

 was most commonly excited when he perceived any 

 person with fruit, or other favourite food in their 

 hands. 



His food was invariably seized in "his projecting 

 upper lip, and by it conveyed to his mouth. He usu- 

 ally ate twenty-eight pounds of clover, the snmo 

 weight of ship-biscuit, and a prodigious quantity of 

 greens every day. He was likewise allowed five 

 pails of water twice or three times a day ; this was put 

 into a vessel containing about three pails, which was 

 filled up as he drank it, and he never ended his 

 draught till the water was exhausted. He was also 

 extremely fond of sweet wines, of which he would 

 sometimes drink three or four bottles in the course of 

 a few hours. 



In the month of October, 1792, as this animal was 

 one day rising up suddenly, he dislocated the joint of 

 one of his fore legs, and this accident brought on an. 

 inflammation, which occasioned his death about nine 

 months afterwards. lie died in a caravan near Ports- 

 mouth, and the stench arising from his body was so 

 intolerable, that the Mayor ordered it to be immedi- 

 ately buried. However, about a fortnight afterwards, 

 it was privately dug up during the night, for the pur- 

 pose of preserving its skin, and some of the most Va- 

 luable of the bones, though the stench was so power- 



