I 



THE PECCARY. 



(3T*His 



interesting animal, which 

 IS of common occurrence 

 throughout the forests of 

 South America, roams through 

 the woods in large herds and is con- 

 stantly migrating, being often driven 

 by scarcity of food to make long 

 journeys. Rendgger, the well known 

 naturalist, states that one may follow 

 the Peccaries for days without seeing 

 them. In their wanderings they keep 

 to the open country, which ordinarily 

 they rarely frequent, and even streams 

 cannot stop them. If they reach a 

 field they cross it at a run, and if they 

 arrive at the banks of a river they 

 do not hesitate but swim at once 

 across it. 



They have been seen crossing the 

 Paraguay river at a place where it 

 requires about a half hour to do so. 

 The herd keeps together in a close 

 throng, the males in advance, each 

 mother having her young behind her. 

 The noise made by the animals can be 

 heard a long distance, not only on 

 account of the dull, hoarse sounds 

 which they make, but still more by 

 reason of the cracking of the dead 

 branches which they break in their 

 impetuous progress. 



Both day and night the Peccaries 

 search for food. They eat all kinds 

 of arboreal fruit and roots, and their 

 teeth are so strong that they can easily 

 open the hardest of palm seeds. They 

 often do great mischief to the crops. 

 Besides vegetable food they are said 

 also to eat Snakes, Lizards, Worms, and 

 Grubs, in this respect being useful ani- 

 mals. They are much more cleanly 

 in their habits than the Wild Boars, 

 and Beehm asseris that they never eat 

 more than they require, and seek water 

 only during periods of the most in- 

 tense heat, and tlien they wallow only 



in pools. During the day they hide 

 in tree trunks, in which they sleep 

 also at night. 



The female gives birth to a single 

 young one, in rare instances to two. 

 The cry of the young is like that of 

 Goats. They are easily tamed and 

 domesticated if treated well. The flesh 

 is eaten by the poorer classes, the skin 

 being chiefly used for bags and thongs. 

 On account of a gland which the 

 animal bears in its haunches and which 

 has an evil effect on the meat, causing 

 it to become unfit for use in a very 

 short time, the flesh is not considered 

 to be particularly excellent. 



It has been said that the Peccary is 

 totally devoid of fear. It is small, 

 rarely exceeding eighteen inches in 

 height, and yet it is not less dreaded 

 than the most savage Wild Boar would 

 be. Many an unlucky sportsman, to 

 escape a herd of these wild creatures 

 has been glad to climb a tree in time 

 to save his life. Men, Horses, and 

 Dogs fly m haste, for the Peccaries 

 fight like a well drilled army, and by 

 swarming about an enemy they are 

 sure to conquer with their strong, sharp 

 tusks. They avoid conflict with man, 

 and shyly run into the thick woods on 

 his approach, but when fired upon or 

 brought to bay they seem possessed 

 only with rage and desire for ven- 

 geance. 



The Peccary is peculiar in his 

 anatomy, having several sacs in place 

 of a single stomach, thus resembling 

 the "cud chewing animals. This 

 resemblance is traced still further in 

 the feet, where the metacarpal and 

 metatarsal bones of the two greater 

 toes are united into a sort of cannon 

 bone. 



This specimen came from the cane- 

 brakes of Texas. 



99 



