174 MAMMALIA. 
upon roots and other vegetable substances, and exhibit much fero- 
city and stupidity. One species is only known. 
H. amphibius, L.; Buff. Supp. II, 4 and 5. (The Hippopota- 
mus. Now confined to the rivers of the middle and south of 
Africa. It formerly found its way into Egypt by the Nile, but 
has long disappeared from that country. 
The bones of a species of Hippopotamus very similar to that 
of Africa, and those of two or three other successively smaller 
ones, have been found in Europe. See my Rech. sur les Oss. 
Foss, tom. 1. 
Sus, Lin. 
Each foot of the Hog consists of two large middle toes armed with 
strong hoofs, and two much shorter lateral ones that hardly reach 
the ground ; there is a variable number of incisors, the inferior of 
which always slant forwards; the canini project from the mouth 
and curve upwards; the muzzle terminates by a sort of truncated 
button fitted for turning up the earth ; the stomach is but slightly 
divided. 
Hogs, properly so called, have twenty-four or twenty-eight grind- 
ers, of which the posterior are oblong with tuberculous crowns, and 
the anterior more or less compressed, and six incisors in each jaw. 
S. scropha, L.; Buff. V, xiv and xvii. The Wild Hog, 
which is the parent stock of our Domestic Hog and its varie- 
ties, has prismatic tusks that curve outwards and slightly up- 
wards ; the body short and thick ; straight ears ; the hair bristled 
and black; the young ones striped black and white. It does 
great injury to fields in the vicinity of forests, by tearing up the 
ground in search of roots. 
The Domestic Hog varies in size, in the height of its legs, in 
the direction of its ears, and in colour, being sometimes white, 
and at others black, red or varied. The great utility of this 
animal from the facility with which it is fed, the flavour of its 
flesh, the length of time it can be preserved by means of salt, 
and finally, from its fecundity, which greatly surpasses that of 
any other animal of its size, the female frequently producing 
fourteen at a litter, is well known to every one. The period of 
gestation is four months, and they produce twice a year. The 
Hog continues to increase in size for five or six years, is pro- 
lific at one, and sometimes lives for twenty. Although naturally 
savage, they are social animals, and know how to de a them- 
selves against Wolves by forming a circle, ok . 
to the enemy ‘in every direction. Voracio a 
they do not even spare their own young. This S) 
4 
