118 



THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



Pigs' tusk house in "Sing Sing," or ceremony, ground, Wala, 

 New Hebrides. 



Photo. — A. K. McCulloch. 



its basal portion is strongly curved 

 within its socket, that curve is main- 

 tained in the overgrown portion. 



Our native friends of the South Sea 

 islands take advantage of this pecu- 

 liarity by extracting the tusks from the 

 ujiper jaw, which leaves those of the 

 lower free to grow unobstructed. And 

 they keep the unfortunate pig in an 

 enclosure either in or near their houses, 

 and feed it and 

 otherwise take every 

 precaution that it 

 shall not break its 

 tusks in any way. 

 As a result the tusk 

 grows into a com- 

 plete circle, and its 

 hard ivory point re- 

 curves upon the jaw 

 and forces its way 

 through the living 

 bone. Even worse ! 

 Often it strikes the 

 hard molar teeth, 

 which, being unnble 

 to give way as does 

 the softer bone, 

 press upon the tusk 

 so sorely that its 

 very growing root is 

 forced backwards 



and outwards 



through the side of 

 the lower jaw. The 

 accompanying illus- 

 tration shows just 

 such a mandible, in 

 which the curled 

 tusk of one side has 

 penetrated complete- 

 ly through the jaw- 

 bone, wjiile that of 

 the other, being 

 ]>artly obstructed by 

 the molar teeth, has 

 driven its base 

 through the outer 

 side of the mandible. 

 Such tooth-aches as 

 must have been suf- 

 fered b,y the unfor- 

 tunate boar whioh 

 was forced to pro- 

 vide this specimen must surely be un- 

 equalled. 



But tooth-ache or any other agony the 

 pigs may suffer is of no moment to our 

 native brother so long as he procures 

 the circular tusks to wear upon his arms, 

 his chest, or even suspended from his 

 ear-lobes. Such tusks form an impor- 

 tant part of his life, being significant 

 of his status and manhood, and a dozen 



Houses surrounded by a 



'pig-fence," Aitchin, New Hebrides. 



Photo. — A. R. McCulloch. 



