56 LETTER FROM PROF. J. REINHARDT. [Jan. 28, 
lent friend Dr. Gray has communicated to the ‘ Proceedings’ of the 
Society for 1868 there are two on which I beg leave to write a few 
observations, which I should wish you to communicate to the 
Zoological Society. 
“In his ‘Synopsis of the Species of Pigs,’ Dr. Gray remarks 
that, according to Marcgrave’s statement, Potamocherus porcus was 
in his time imported by the negroes, and naturalized in Brazil; and 
then adds that having on all his inquiries received the answer (which, 
by the way, was perfectly correct) that this Pig is at present kept 
nowhere in Brazil, he must suppose that it ‘has not been found 
profitable, or was not fitted for the American climate, as the breed- 
ing of it has been discontinued’ *. As far as I have been able to 
learn, the Potamocherus porcus has not been domesticated anywhere 
in its native country, West Africa. If this Pig, accordingly, can be 
considered identical with the one described by Marcgrave by the 
name of Porcus guineensis (and in that point Dr. Gray is certainly 
right), and if further it really was the case that the Pig of Mare- 
grave at his time was domesticated in Brazil, we should here have 
an instance of an animal having been brought in a wild state from 
one part of the world to another, and of its having been made a 
domestic animal there. Now this would certainly be an interesting 
case, which would deserve considerable attention; but on that ac- 
count there is also so much reason to examine accurately whether such 
is really the meaning of Maregrave’s words; and when we do so I 
think it will appear that a misunderstanding has taken place. For 
Maregrave does not state at all in plain terms that his Porcus gui- 
neensis is kept as a domesticated animal anywhere in Brazil. He 
begins his description of it in the following way :—‘ Poreus guineensis 
Sc. e Guinea Braziliam translatus.’ But in these words he has cer- 
tainly never thought of saying that his Pig was a domestic animal, 
but only that in Brazil he had seen such a Pig, brought thither 
from Africa and being quite tame—that is to say, doing no harm, 
but being of a placid, inoffensive nature. He might, indeed, have 
occasion to point out these qualities distinctly, especially as con- 
trasting with the well-known fierce and headstrong character of the 
European Wild Boars. And that Maregrave’s words really may be 
justly applied to the said African Pig, we have a further proof in 
a description of the establishments (formerly Danish) on the Gold 
Coast, in which it is especially remarked that the hunting of the 
Red and Black Boars of this place is without danger, that these 
Pigs do not show the least inclination to attack their pursuers 
—nay, that they do not turn upon them when wounded. That 
Marcgrave should have had an opportunity of seeing such a Pota- 
mockerus porcus in Brazil, even though it has never been domes- 
ticated there, ought not to surprise us; and more especially it is 
no more startling than that he also had an opportunity of seeing 
there, and of sketching, several African Monkeys. It is easily ex- 
plained when we remember that Prince Maurice of Nassau, in whose 
* P..Z. S868, p./37- 
t Mourad, H. C., ‘ Bidrag til en Skildring af Gninea-Kysten.’ Kjobenhavn. 
