THE HOG KIND. 



279 



QUADRUPEDS OF THE HOG KIND. 



CHAPTER XL VI. 



INTRODUCTION. 



ANIMALS of the hog kind seem to unite 

 in themselves all those distinctions by which 

 others are separated. They resemble those 

 of the horse kind in the number of their teeth, 

 which in all amount to forty-four, in the 

 length of their head, and in having but a 

 single stomach. They resemble the cow 

 kind in their cloven hoofs and the position of 

 their intestines ; and they resemble those of 

 the claw-footed kind in their appetite for 

 flesh, in their not chewing the cud, and in 

 their numerous progeny. Thus this species 

 serves to fill up that chasm which is found be- 

 tween the carnivorous kinds and those that 

 live upon grass; being possessed of the raven- 

 ous appetites of the one, and the inoffensive 

 nature of the other. We may consider them, 

 therefore, as of a middle nature, which we 

 can refer neither to the rapacious nor the 

 peaceful kinds, and yet partaking somewhat 

 of the nature of both. Like the rapacious 

 kinds, they are found to have short intestines; 

 their hoofs also, though cloven to the sight, 

 will, upon anatomical inspection, appear to 

 be supplied with oones like beast of prey; 

 and the number of their teats also increase 

 the similitude ; on the other hand, in a natu- 

 ral state they live upon vegetables, and sel- 

 dom seek after animal food, except when 

 urged by necessity. They offend no other ani- 

 mal of the forest, at the same time that they 

 are furnished with arms to terrify the bravest. 



THE WILD BOAR, 



WHICH is the original of all the varieties 

 we find in this creature, is by no means so 



stupid nor so filthy an animal as that we have 

 reduced to tameness ; he is much smaller 

 than the tame hog, and does not vary in his 

 colour as those of the domestic kind do, but 

 is always found of an iron gray, inclining to 

 black ; his snout is much longer than that of 

 the tame hog, and the ears are shorter, round 

 er, and black ; of which colour are also tht 

 feet and the tail. He roots the ground in a 

 different manner from the common hog ; for 

 as this turns up the earth in little spots here 

 and there, so the wild boar ploughs it up like 

 a furrow, and does irreparable damage in the 

 cultivated lands of the farmer. The tusks 

 also of this animal are larger than in the tame 

 breed, some of them being seen almost a foot 

 long." These, as is well known, grow from 

 both the under and upper jaw, bend upwards 

 circularly, and are exceedingly sharp at the 

 points. They differ from the tusks of the 

 elephant in this, that they never fall ; and it 

 is remarkable of all the hog kind, that they 

 never shed their teeth as other animals are 

 seen to do. The tusks of the lower jaw are 

 always the most to be dreaded, and are found 

 to give very terrible wounds. 



The wild boar can properly be called 

 neither a solitary nor a gregarious animal. 

 The three first years the whole litter follows 

 the sow, and the family lives in a herd toge- 

 ther. They are then called beasts of com- 

 pany, and unite their common forces against 

 the invasions of the wolf, or the more formi- 

 dable beasts of prey. Upon this their prin- 

 cipal safety while young depends, for when 

 attacked they give each other mutual assist- 



a Buffon, vol. ix. p. 147. 



