332 



PHACOCHCERE, PECCARIES, BABYROUSSA. 



tended with danger, however ; for horses and men, as well as 

 dogs, have not imfrequently fallen a sacrifice to the fury of the 

 animal ; but this danger perhaps adds to the excitement. The 

 Phacochoeres of Abyssinia and Southern Africa closely resemble 

 the Hog in general structure and habits, but differ from them 

 remarkably in their dentition ; for the molar teeth are formed 

 very much upon the plan of those of the Elephant, and successively 

 replace one another, by advancing from behind forwards, as in 

 that animal. The Peccaries are the representatives of the Boar 

 in South America ; and it is remarkable that, with the Tapirs, 

 they constituted the only representatives of the whole order of 

 Pachydermata, which were found in that continent at the time of its 

 discovery. In ancient times, as we have already seen, numerous 

 species of Mastodons, and other gigantic Pachyderms, roamed 

 over its wilds ; but they have gradually become extinct, and 

 have left us only these two comparatively small and feeble genera 

 as their representatives. On the other hand, since the discovery 

 of America by Europeans, many European species have been 

 introduced, which have become naturalised in the country, and 

 now run wild through its plains and forests ; this is the case 

 with the Boar, and with the Horse. Independently of the 

 peculiarities already mentioned, the Peccaries, of which there 

 are two species, the collared, and the white-lipped, differ from 



the Hog in possessing 

 only four incisors in 

 each jaw instead of 

 six, and only six mo- 

 lars on each side 

 instead of seven ; the 

 canines, too, are not 

 nearly so long, and 

 do not curve out- 

 wards. The Baby- 

 roussa of Java and 

 the Molucca islands is chiefly remarkable for the extraordinary 

 curvature of the tusks of the upper jaw, which is shown in the 

 accompanying figure ; the purpose which they serve is entirely 



FIQ. 265. BABYRor; 



