496 UNGULATA. 



lent taste, the best maize and grass. Its cry is a sharp, shrill grunt, and 

 when angry, it clashes its teeth smartly together, producing a sound 

 which is recognizable at some distance, and is very useful to the hunters, 

 as it serves to give timely notice of the animal's approach. 



In all the woody lowlands of South America, and even as high as 

 three thousand feet above the sea, both species of Peccary are abundant. 

 The Tagnicates roam the forests in herds of hundreds, under the 

 guidance of the strongest male, changing their abode every day, and 

 always on the move. In their journeys, neither the open country, which 

 otherwise they seldom visit, nor the rivers delay them. If they come to 

 open ground, they cross it at full speed ; if they encounter a stream, they 

 plunge in without hesitation. The herd advances in close order, the 

 males leading, each female followed by its young. Their approach is 

 heard from some distance, not so much by reason of their grunting as 

 by the crashing of the brush through which they are dashing. Their 

 migrations are performed in search ot food, for they live chiefly on fruits 

 and roots, varying this sometimes by devouring sei-pents, lizards, and 

 the larvae of insects. In their movements they resemble the common 

 swine, but have neither its voracity nor its filthiness ; they only eat what 

 they need, and only wallow during the extreme heats. 



The usual resting-place of the Peccary is in the hollow of a fallen tree, 

 or in some burrow that has been dug by an armadillo and forsaken by 

 the original inhabitant. The hollow tree, however, is the favorite resort, 

 and into one of these curious habitations a party of Peccaries will retreat, 

 each backing into the aperture as far as he can penetrate the trunk, 

 until the entire hollow is filled with the odd little creatures. The one 

 who last enters becomes the sentinel, and keeps a sharp watch on the 

 neighborhood. The native hunters take advantage of this curious habit 

 to immolate great numbers of these animals. There are two methods of 

 Peccary killing — by the gun, and by the sword and pitchfork. 



In the former method the hunter takes up his temporary abode in 

 some concealed spot that commands the entrance of the tree or hole in 

 which the Peccaries are known to sleep. As soon as the sentinel has 

 assumed its post, the hunter takes a careful aim at the forehead, and kills 

 it with a single ball. Its place is at once taken by its successor, which, 

 in its turn is shot, and so on till the whole family is exterminated. Schom- 

 burgk describes the chase of the Peccary, and states that when dogs are 

 employed they are trained to cut off stragglers and keep them at bay 



