THE PECCARY. 13 



The domestic hog .s the descendant of a race long since subjugated ; 

 yet while a race of domesticated swine has been and is kept under 

 surveillance, the wild type whence this race sprung has maintained 

 itself in its native freedom, the fierce denizen of the forest, and one 

 of the renowned beasts of " venerie." Its wild source still exists, and 

 is universally recognized ; it roams through the vast wooded tracts 

 of Europe and Asia. The wild stock of the hog is most extensively 

 spread throughout Europe and Asia, and has been known, described, 

 and celebrated from the earliest ages, alike by sacred and classical 

 writers ; it is the sus scrofa of Linnaeus, the sus aper of Brisson. 



Under the generic term SUIDAE or Sus many zoologists have in- 

 cluded, besides the true hog as it exists in a wild or tame state in 

 Europe, Asia, and Africa, the peccary, the babiroussa, the phaco 

 choere, and the capibara ; we will, therefore, slightly glance at each 

 of these varieties before proceeding to the actual subject of the pre- 

 sent work. 



THE PECCARY. This appears to be the nearest approach to swine 

 among the animals indigenous to the New World ; and the Collared 

 Peccary (Dicotyles torquatus) and the White-lipped Peccary (Dico- 

 tyles labiatus) actually do at first sight appear to bear a very close 

 resemblance to the common hog, but a more careful examination 

 soon enables us to detect material differences. The head is thicker 

 and shorter, the body not so bulky, the legs shorter, the hoofs longer, 

 the ears shorter, and the tail is supplied by a slight, and, at a cursors- 

 glance, almost imperceptible protuberance. But the great differ 

 ence arises from a small gland on the back, which, although partially 

 concealed by the hair, is nevertheless evident, and hence it is thai 

 the term Dicotyles, which signifies a double navel, has been given to 

 this species. This gland secretes a fluid which is emitted in great 

 abundance whenever the animal is irritated, and gives out a very 

 strong odor, pronounced as fetid and disagreeable by some authors, 

 and by others compared with musk. 



Cuvier remarks that the external toe on the hind feet is wanting 

 in the peccary. The body is of a grayish hue, and thickly covered 

 with strong coarse bristles, stiff enough to penetrate a tolerably firm 

 substance, and shaded black and white. These are longest on the 

 back, where some will be found measuring four or five inches ; they 

 become gradually shorter and shorter on the sides, and disappear 

 altogether on the belly, which is nearly bare. Or the head is a 

 large tuft of black bristles. The eyes and snout are small, the ears 

 erect. 



This animal is found in vast numbers in Paraguay and Guiana, 

 and has been termed by some writers the Mexican hog. It has 

 nearly tne same habits and tastes as the common hog ; feeds on 

 seeds and roots; digs with its snout; expresses its emotions by- 

 grunts ; is fierce in defence of its young ; very prolific ; and the 



