1 70 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



rise up like the prickles of a Hedgehog, and are 

 very strong; they are of a dusky colour, with alter- 

 nate rings of white; across the shoulders to the 

 breast, there is a band of white; its head is short 

 and thick: it has two tusks in each jaw; its ears 

 are small and erect; and instead of a tail, it has a 

 small fleshy protuberance, which does not cover its 

 posteriors. It differs most essentially from the 

 Hog, in having a small orifice on the lower part of 

 the back, from which a thin watery humour, of a 

 most disagreeable smell, flows very copiously. In 

 the Philosophical Transactions, Dr. Tyson has 

 described this orifice very minutely, as well as 

 some other peculiarities in the conformation of its 

 stomach and intestines. 



Like the Hog, the Peccary is very prolific. The 

 young ones, if taken at first, are easily tamed, and 

 soon lose all their natural ferocity; but can never 

 be brought to discover any signs of attachment to 

 those that feed them. They do no mischief, and 

 may be allowed to run about at pleasure. They 

 seldom stray far from home, and return of their 

 own accord. When angry, they grunt like the 

 Hog, but much stronger and harsher; and when 

 suddenly alarmed, make a sharp noise with their 

 breath, and erect their bristles. 



The flesh of the Peccary, though drier and leaner 

 than that of our Hog, is by no means disagreeable, 

 and may be greatly improved by castration. When 

 killed, the dorsal gland must be immediately cut 

 off. If this operation be deferred for the space of 

 half an hour, the flesh becomes utterly unfit to be 

 eaten. 



Although the European Hog is common in Ame- 

 rica, and in many parts has become wild, the 



