THE WILD BOAR. 



THE Wild Boar is armed by Nature with 

 long white tusks on his under jaws. These 

 are kept sharp as razors by constant friction 

 against tlie upper ones. He also wears a coat of 

 mail in tlie form of a thick hide. ^ 



This savage animal is a native of many countries ; 

 and in many cases is possessed of the most hideous 

 physiognomy possible to conceive, its face being 

 covered with warts and excrescences, and its great 

 teeth springing outward and upward. The Wart 

 Hog of Africa, must bear away the palm for repul- 

 sive appearance. In some of. the Islands of the 

 Indian Archipelago is found a Pig called by the na- 

 tives the Babi-rusa, or Pig-deer, on account of the 

 singular and eccentric form of the tusks that 

 spring from the upper jaw. These are exceed- 

 ingly long and very sharp, and instead of grow- 

 ing outward, as is usual with these appendages 

 in this class of creatures, they shoot right up- 

 ward out of separate bony sockets, piercing 

 through the skin on either side of the nose, and 

 then curve backward over the eyes, reaching 

 a length in very old individuals of some ten 

 inches. 



The use of . these extraordinary teeth is un- 

 known, as they would appear to be of no value 

 either for the purpose of offense or defense, and 

 must be at limes much in the way of their own- 

 er's movements. 



The Babi-rusa does not dig and root up the 

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ground, as is the common habit with all its rela- 

 tives, but lives chiefly on the fallen fruits of the 

 dense forests it inhabits. 



Although, as a rule, the color of the wild Pigs 

 is black on brown, there are instances when the 

 hue of the coat is not without beauty. Thus the 

 Red Rive'r Hog of Africa has long tufts to its 

 ears, which are pointed and slender, and the fur 

 is a rich reddish-brown, with the base of the hairs 

 grayish-white ; and this animal has a rather gay 

 appearance when seen among his more sombre- 

 looking brethren. 



Boar-hunting was a very favorite amusernent 

 in many parts of Europe, where these animals 

 are abundant. It used to be a favorite sporl: in 

 Germany. The Old Duke of Nassau cheerfully 

 pursued a great herd of wild swine. The hunt 

 was carried on with all the paraphernalia incident 

 upon gay dresses and prancing steeds, baying 

 hounds, and blasts from the merrily winded horn ; 

 and m.any were the narrow escapes from the des- 

 perate charges of the infuriated creature, as, when 

 driven to a stand, with the hounds closing around 

 him, he strove to free himself from the ranks of 

 his pursuers. 



It was a feat to go up to him and wait calmly 

 to receive him on the point of the short hunting- 

 spear. Were the aim badly taken, or the animal 

 able to thrust the point of the weapon on one 

 side, the glistening tusks would quickly deal a 



