THE BABYROUSSA. 611 



stye, and laid a bounteous supply of favorite food within the inclosure. A wild boar has 

 been known to clear a paling nearly nine feet in height, and it is remarkably active in leaping 

 across ravines. . 



There is a prevalent idea, that whenever the Hog takes to the water he cuts his own throat 

 with the sharp hoofs of his fore-feet. This, however, is by no means the case, for the animal 

 is an admirable swimmer, and will often take to the water intuitively. In one of the Moray 

 Islands, three domestic pigs, belonging to the same litter, swam a distance of five miles ; 

 and it is said that if they had belonged to a wild family, they would have swum to a much 

 greater distance. 



The flesh and fat of the Hog is especially valuable on account of its aptitude for taking 

 salt without being rendered hard and indigestible by the process ; and the various breeds of 

 domesticated Swine are noted for their adaptation to form pork or bacon in the shortest time 

 and of the best quality. A full account of the various English varieties, together with the 

 mode of breeding them and developing their peculiar characteristics, may be found in many 

 books which are devoted specially to the subject. 



The Wild Boar of India is reckoned by some naturalists to be a separate species, ?nd 

 deserves a few words on account of its superiority in size, strength, and swiftness, to the ordi- 

 nary European Swine. 



This animal is a sad plague to the agricultural population of India, as it makes terrible 

 havoc among the crops, and is especially fond of frequenting the sugar-canes, eating them and 

 chopping them into short lengths, which it forms into hut-like receptacles for its young. The 

 Boar is a most fierce and savage animal, and if driven from the cane-brake, will rush at man, 

 or animal, that may be within his reach, and cut him terribly with his sharp tusks. Even the 

 sow can do considerable damage with her teeth, but instead of ripping, like her mate, she bites 

 sharply and rapidly. When the animal is fairly roused, and takes to his heels, he puts the 

 mettle of the swiftest and stanchest horse fairly to the test, and even on ground' where the horse 

 has all the advantage, he will frequently distance his pursuers, and regain his domicile in the 

 cane-brake. Among the plantations are numbers of old disused wells, the sides of which have 

 fallen in and were never properly filled up. In these wells the wild hog loves to lie, for the 

 mouth of the well is so overgrown with thick verdure that the aperture is scarcely visible even 

 to a person that stands on its brink, while from those who are not aware of its precise locality 

 it is entirely hidden. 



The spear is generally employed in Boar-hunting, or "pig-sticking," as the sport is 

 familiarly termed, and is either thrown from the horse's back, or is held like a lance and 

 directed so as to receive the animal's charge. When driven to bay, the Indian Boar is as 

 savage an animal as can be imagined, as with flashing eyes and foaming mouth he dashes first 

 at one and then another of the horsemen, sometimes fairly driving them from the spot, and 

 remaining master of the field. 



One of the most formidable looking of Swine is the Babtroussa of Malacca. 



This strange creature is notable for the curious manner in which the tusks are arranged, 

 four of these weapons being seen to project above the snout. The tusks of the lower jaw pro- 

 ject upward on each side of the upper, as is the case with the ordinary boar of Europe, but 

 those of the upper jaw are directed in a very strange manner. Their sockets, instead of point- 

 ing downwards, are curved upwards, so that the tooth, in filling the curvatures of the socket, 

 passes through a hole in the upper lip, and curls boldly over the face. The curve, as well as 

 the comparative size of these weapons, is extremely variable, and is seldom precisely the 

 same in any two individuals. The upper tusks do not seem to be employed as offensive 

 weapons ; indeed, in many instances they would be quite useless for such a purpose, as they 

 are so strongly curved that their points nearly reach the skin of the forehead. The female is 

 devoid of these curious appendages. 



From all accounts the Babyroussa seems to be a very fierce and dangerous animal, being 

 possessed of great strength, and able to inflict terrible wounds with the tusks of the lower jaw. 



