314 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



WART-HOG 



Showt the great size of the head in proportion to 

 the body 



being in colour dull olive-black, varied with yellow. Possibly 

 this little-known swine may prove to be merely a sub-species 

 of the common wild boar of Europe and North Africa. Now 

 that the Soudan regions have once more been opened up 

 to Europeans, we may expect shortly to hear more of this 

 wild swine, as well as of other rare and interesting animals. 

 Still dealing with the true pigs, we come now to the 

 BUSH-PIGS of Africa and Madagascar. These differ somewhat 

 from the typical wild boars of Europe and India in the 

 structure of the teeth, the long pencilled ear-tufts, the 

 elongated snout, and other characteristics. The tusks are 

 considerably smaller, and seldom exceed 6 or 7 inches in 

 length. The RED RIVER-HOG, or WEST AFRICAN BUSH-PIG, 

 is decidedly the most striking of this group. Smaller than 

 the bush-pig of South Africa, and seldom exceeding 2 feet 

 in height at the shoulder, the colour of this animal is 

 a brilliant reddish brown, with tints of yellow. Noticeable 

 streaks of white are found round the eyes and on the cheeks. 

 The ear-tufts, forehead, and limbs are blackish ; more white 

 markings are seen at the tips of the ear-tufts, along the 



thick mane, and round the margins of the ears. The under-parts are whitish grey in colour. 



This very handsome pig runs in considerable herds, and is found chiefly in forest and jungle 



near the banks of the various rivers in West Africa. Its range extends from Angola to 



Senegambia, and eastwards into the continent as far as Monbuttu. 



The well-known BUSH-PIG OF SOUTH AFRICA, the BOSCH-VARK of the Boers, is a fine species, 



having a wide range over much of the southern and south-eastern parts of the continent, 



extending as far north as Central Africa. In the Eastern Transvaal and Swaziland these animals 



attain their greatest size, an adult boar standing from 2 feet 4 inches to 2 feet 7 inches in 



height, and weighing as much as from 150 to 170 Ibs. The usual colour is brownish red, the 



face and mane greyish ; but in different specimens and at different ages great variations are 



to be noticed. Pale greyish brown or mottled brown are colours often to be found. These 



bush-pigs are formidable-look- 

 ing creatures, with thick bristling 



manes, small deep-set eyes, and 



sharp if somewhat short tusks, 



which they know well how to 



use. Among the old fashioned 



Boers cured hams from these 



animals were, when they were 



more plentiful in Cape Colony, 



often to be found in up-country 



farmhouses. The bosch-vark 



is a beast of shy, nocturnal 



habit, and, loving as it does the 



shade and protection of dense 



covert and bush, is, unless care- 

 fully sought for, not often seen 



by sportsmen. The herds range 



usually from half a dozen to 



as many as twenty in number. 



When once encountered and 



set up at bay, this wild swine 





Photo hi Scholastic Photo. Co. . 



ELIAN'S WART-HOG 



Displays the broad muzzle and huge tush, -which are nearly ai large in the soivi as in 



the boars 



