THE SWINE FAMILY 383 



FAMILY SUID^E (SWINE). 



All the Swine have elongated snouts with the nostrils at 

 the end ; the ears are often large and flapping ; the eyes 

 are small ; and the bodies are often nearly naked, or with a 

 sparse covering of bristly hair. Their favourite location is 

 in damp, swampy regions. The upper canine teeth of the 

 male in particular are long and flattened, slightly curved, 

 and so sharpened that they cut like knives when used as 

 weapons. The feet are narrow, with four toes on each. In 

 a wild state Swine are mostly herbivorous, but will eat flesh 

 when the opportunity offers. The illustrations show that 

 Swine, which do not chew the cud, yet divide the hoof. 



WILD BOAR (Sus scro/a). 

 Coloured Plate XXVIII. Fig. i. 



The Wild Boar, the only European specimen of the 

 family, was once exceedingly abundant in Central and 

 Southern Europe, and it is still common in the more 

 remote, well-wooded regions, such as the Black Forest, &c. 

 Practically the same animal extended into Western and 

 Central Asia as well as into the North of Africa. It 

 formerly roamed in the forests of Britain, and was another 

 of the animals that William I. protected and preserved 

 with such severity. In later times the animal died out; 

 Charles I. imported fresh animals into the New Forest, 

 but during the Civil War they were all destroyed. 



The shape of the Swine's head shows that it is intended 

 to force its way through forest undergrowth, the wedge-like 

 snout assisting to make a passage to allow the body to 

 follow easily. The snout is also used for grubbing up 

 ground in search of food ; and as the animal possesses 

 an acute sense of smell, nothing escapes it as it turns up 

 the soil. Wild Swine are chiefly vegetarians, but, urged 

 by a voracious appetite, they eat insects and reptiles, even 

 the fangs of the viper having no terrors for them. In 

 North America the domesticated Pig will kill and greedily 

 devour the dreaded rattlesnake, the poisonous stings 



