166 MAMMALIA. 



four canine teeth, curved outwards and upwards, can attain sucli 

 dimensions as to become formidable weapons. The ujjper canine 

 teeth are large, conical, and obliquely truncated on their anterior 

 surfaces from their rubbing against the lower teeth. The lower 

 canine teeth, in the shape of a triangular pyramid, are equally 

 curved outwards and upwards ; but their points are not sharp. 



With its snout, which is possessed of great strength, the "Wild 

 Boar can hollow out the ground to a depth of sixty centimetres. 



The "Wild Boar's foot rests on the toes, which are very close to 

 each other. When it walks, it constantly places its hind foot as 

 far forward as the heel and a little outside of the front foot. It 

 often happens that a toe of one of its feet is longer than the other, 

 and is twisted into the shape of a crescent ; these toes are called 

 in French des picds gauches, which is abbreviated mio pigaches. 



Till the age of sis months, the young Wild Boar (which is 

 called in French Marcassin) wears a liverj' : which is striped longi- 

 tudinally with bands, the colour of which is alternately light and 

 brown fallow on a mixed ground of white, bro'mi, or fawn colour. 



In summer, Wild Boars are princij)ally to be met on the out- 

 skirts of forests, in the approaches to fields or vineyards, and 

 near swamps, where they retire during the heat of the day to 

 refresh themselves by wallowing in the muddy water. In autumn, 

 they permanently reside in the forests, in the heart of which they 

 establish their winter retreat. 



Dark, damp localities are generally chosen for their lairs : 

 here they lie hid during the whole daj^, and only leave in the 

 evening or at night to seek their food. They dig up the ground 

 in search of worms and the larvaj or grubs of cockchafers ; 

 and they also devour reptiles, birds' eggs, and all the young 

 animals they can surprise. Field-mice, Moles, and even young 

 Rabbits are likewise favourite food. Acorns, chestnuts, and 

 beech-nuts constitute a large portion of their vegetable diet. They 

 often lay waste fields of potatoes, maize, and other grain. A 

 whole crop is sometimes destroyed by these animals in a single 

 night. When they root up the soil in search of their food, they 

 invariably proceed in a straight line, and as the furrows which 

 they make are as broad as their heads, experienced sportsmen 

 can thus tell the size of the animal whose track they are 

 following:. i 



