MAMMALIA. 



331 



Even-toed Ungulates (Artiodactyla). Hippopota- 

 mus (Hippopotamida), two species. These huge creatures 

 inhabit many of the great rivers of Africa. The body is 

 extremely large, the legs short, the feet having four toes, 

 each one being hoofed. The head is large, and the gape 

 enormous. The teeth are of large size, and often number 

 forty, and are used in cutting the bark from trees, which 

 forms a prominent feature of their food. They are noc- 

 turnal animals, and are aquatic in their habits. They 

 formerly lived as far north as England. 

 VALUE. Hide, and ivory from the teeth. 



Swine (Sttidce). The swine are characterized by four 

 toes upon each foot, the anterior digits being furnished 

 with strong hoofs. The head is pointed, the snout blunt, 

 terminating in an 

 organ adapted for 

 rooting, the ears 

 large, and the skin 

 covered with bris- 

 tles. The com- 

 mon hog is a de- 

 scendant of the 

 wild boar, an in- 

 habitant of the 

 forests of Europe 

 and Asia. The 

 latter is extreme- 

 ly fierce. The masked boar of southeastern Africa, the 

 BabiroussO) an inhabitant of the islands of the Indian 

 Archipelago (Fig. 355), and the wart-hog, are allies. The 

 peccaries (Dtcotyles) are American representatives of the 

 family, inhabiting Mexico and South America, 

 VALUE. Flesh, hide, hair, hoofs, etc. 



Deer (Cervidce). These and the following hoofed ani- 

 mals are generally called ruminants, from the fact that the 



tic. 355. Babiroussa. 



