THE BABIRUSA 



(Babirusa alfurus) 



EVEN classical naturalists in ancient times had heard of a " Four- 

 horned Hog," which was to be found in the far East, so that the 

 reputation of this most remarkable of wild Swine was early widely 

 diffused, though the animal itself has but a limited range, being con- 

 fined to the islands of Celebes and Bouru in the East Indies. 



The so-called horns were, of course, the tusks, which are certainly 

 remarkable enough to give any animal a reputation. The lower canines 

 are chiefly notable for their great length and curvature, being, indeed, 

 when fully developed, too long and curved for the proper use of such 

 teeth. The upper ones, however, as the illustration shows, grow 

 directly upwards, and actually pierce the skin of the face, presenting 

 an exaggeration of the condition found in the Wild Boar. Their 

 development varies considerably, and in some cases they not only 

 approach, but again pierce the skin of the head in curling downwards 

 and forwards. These huge tusks are of pure ivory, having no enamel 

 coating at all ; they are confined to the Boar, the Sow having the 

 canines quite small. 



They certainly are not well designed for fighting, though the fact 

 that in old animals they are usually found to be broken, shows that 

 they are used in that way ; and probably the suggestion of Dr. A. R. 

 Wallace, that they are degenerate, over-developed organs, comparable 

 to the overgrown teeth sometimes seen in Rabbits and Rats that 

 have had the misfortune to lose one incisor, is the correct one. 

 The other teeth of the Babirusa present the peculiarity of being less 

 numerous than in the Wild Boar and its immediate allies, there being 

 two upper incisors and four grinders wanting from the full Pig 

 complement. 



The Babirusa is one of the very few land animals which is prac- 



IL m 



