PIGS. 441 



Our accounts of the habits of the wart-hogs are not so full as 

 Habits. . & 



might be desired, and there is some discrepancy between those given 



by different observers. The statement made by Heuglin that these animals habitu- 

 ally repose on swampy ground, or even in water, is, however, not borne out by later 

 writers. The northern species is found everywhere in Abyssinia, from the level of 

 the sea at Annesley Bay to heights of nine thousand or ten thousand feet in the 

 highlands of the interior. Mr. Blanford writes, that " its habits are very similar to 

 those of ordinary pigs. It lives amongst bushes or in ravines during the day, and 

 comes out to feed in the evening, still keeping much to bush-jungle. The large 

 males are usually solitary ; the younger animals and females live in small herds, 

 apparently not exceeding eight or ten in number. I never saw large ' sounders,' 

 such as are so commonly met with in the case of the Indian hog. It feeds much 

 on roots, which it digs up by means of its huge tusks. It also appears to dig large 

 holes, in which it occasionally lies ; these are perhaps intended for the young. 

 Despite its formidable appearance, the Abyssinian wart-hog is a comparatively 

 timid animal, far inferior in courage to the Indian wild hog. Several which I 

 wounded showed no inclination to charge under circumstances in which an Indian 

 pig would certainly have shown fight. The flesh is savoury, but dry and hard, 

 even in comparatively young animals." 



The foregoing opinion of the courage of these animals is confirmed by 

 Sir Samuel Baker, who states that it is but rarely that they ever charge. One 

 kept in confinement at Khartum on one occasion, however, broke out from its 

 cage and deliberately charged at Sir Samuel Baker's party, when its rush was 

 effectually stopped by having a huge rhinoceros horn hurled at its head. When 

 brought to bay by dogs, wart-hogs make a determined stand, and inflict severe 

 injuries on their assailants. If excited, they carry their long tails stuck straight 

 upright. 



In South-Eastern Africa — where they are known to the natives by the name of 

 Indhlovudawani — wart-hogs, according to Mr. E. H. Drummond, are found on the 

 plains in light thorn-jungles ; and they are abundant in the districts around Mount 

 Kilima-Njaro. In those regions they generally occupy the deserted burrow of 

 an aard-vark, or other animal. Mr. Drummond states that wart-hogs, occupy- 

 ing such burrows, " have a most curious mode of exit when they bolt — a dangerous 

 one if you are not up to it. As they emerge from a hole, they turn a somer- 

 sault on to the back of it, instead of coming straight out like an ordinary animal, 

 and as that is just the spot where one would naturally stand, more than one 

 man has had his legs ripped open before he learnt the wisdom of experience." 

 The same writer mentions that he has on more than one occasion seen a male 

 wart-hog walk deliberately through a pack of large hounds without taking the 

 slightest notice of them, so long as they refrained from biting. Did, however, 

 one bolder than the rest, venture to come to close quarters, the wart-hog with a 

 sudden jerk would either lay its assailant crippled on the ground, or send it 

 howling away. 



We have no information as to the breeding-habits of the wart-hogs, but from 

 the number of teats in the female being only four, it may be inferred that but 

 few young are produced at a birth. The young are striped. 



