312 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



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Half-wi 



DIVING-PIGS 



\, found in Florida, "where they live on refuse fish. (See next page) 



In India the wild boar of Europe and North Africa is replaced by a closely allied species 

 (distinguished by a crest of long black bristles upon the neck and back), which furnishes some 

 of the finest and most exciting sport in the world to mounted hunters armed with a sharp 

 spear. There is not a pluckier or more fearless beast living than the boar; and as he carries 

 long and extremely sharp tusks, and never scruples to use them, he is an exceedingly dangerous 

 opponent when wounded and enraged. Severe and even fatal accidents have happened in the 

 pursuit of this determined beast of chase. When at bay, the boar is absolutely reckless of 

 life ; and although pierced and mortally wounded by the spear, will yet force himself up the 

 shaft, and with his dying effort inflict gaping wounds on the horse bearing his attacker. 

 Indian shikaris, to illustrate the courage of the wild boar, say that he has the hardihood to 

 drink at a river between two tigers; and Colonel R. Heber Percy mentions, in the Badminton 

 volumes on " Big Game Shooting," that " several cases are on record in which an old boar 

 has beaten off a tiger, and some in which the latter has been killed by a boar. The boar's 

 extraordinary activity and sharp tusks make him no mean adversary, and his short neck makes 

 it difficult for a tiger to seize it and give it that fatal wrench with which he likes to polish 

 off his victims." A wild boar will stand as much as 3 feet at the shoulder some sportsmen 

 affirm considerably more and weigh more than 300 Ibs. The finest boar's tusk known is 

 one mentioned in Rowland Ward's "Records of Big Game." This measures nj inches over 

 the curve. It came from the Caucasus, and is in the possession of Colonel Veernhof. 



It is worthy of note that, while the full-grown individuals of the various species of wild 

 swine are uniformly coloured, their young are longitudinally striped and spotted. In India, 

 besides the common boar, a tiny wild swine, known as the PYGMY HOG, is found in the 

 Bhutan Terai and the forests of Nepal and Sikhim. This pig, which is little bigger than a 

 fox-terrier, runs in considerable troops, or sounders, and is said to attack intruders into its 

 domain much in the same fearless way in which the peccary of America defends its sanctuaries. 

 The height of this diminutive species is given as from 8 to IO inches the weight at 10 Ibs. 



