HOG KIND. 383 



bones of this extraordinary animal are found to 

 be very thick and strong, from whence these 

 monstrous tusks are seen to proceed that distin- 

 guish it from all other quadrupeds whatsoever. 

 The two that go from the lower jaw are not above 

 a foot long, but those of the upper are above half 

 a yard : as in the boar, they bend circularly, and 

 the two lower stand in the jaw as they are seen to 

 do in that animal ; but the two upper rise from 

 the upper jaw rather like horns than teeth, and 

 bending upwards and backwards, sometimes have 

 their points directed to the animal's eyes, and are 

 often fatal by growing into them. Were it not 

 that the babyrouessa has two such large teeth 

 underneath, we might easily suppose the two 

 upper to be horns ; and in fact their sockets are 

 directed upwards, for which reason Dr Grew 

 was of that opinion. But as the teeth of both 

 jaws are of the same consistence, and as they 

 both grow out of sockets in the same manner, 

 the analogy between both is too strong not to 

 suppose them of the same nature. The upper 

 teeth, when they leave the socket, immediately 

 pierce the upper lips of the animal, and grow as 

 if they immediately went from its cheek. The 

 tusks in both jaws are of a very fine ivory, 

 smoother and whiter than that of the elephant, 

 but not so hard or serviceable. 



These enormous tusks give this animal a very 

 formidable appearance, and yet it is thought to be 

 much less dangerous than the wild boar.* Like 



* Buffon, vol. xxv. p. 179. 

 S8 



