THE PECCARY. 211 
“In the bush I always found the Kaffirs disinclined to encounter a herd of 
these wild Swine, stating as their reason for doing so that the animals were 
very dangerous; they also said that the wounds given by the tusks of this 
wild pig would not readily heal. The Berea bush of Natal was a favourite 
resort of these wild pigs, but although their spoor could be seen in all direc- 
tions, the animals themselves were. not so frequently encountered, 
“The Kaffirs are much annoyed by these wild pigs, which force a passage 
through the imperfectly made fences, and root up the seeds, or destroy the 
pumpkins in the various gardens. As a defence, the Kaffirs leave nice 
enticing little openings in different parts of their fences, and the pigs, taking 
advantage of these ready-made doorways, frequently walk through them, and 
are then engulfed in a deep pit in which is a pointed stake, and they are 
assagaied with great delight by the expecting Kaffirs, who are on the alert, 
and who hear the cries of distress from piggy himself. 
“The tusks are considered great ornaments, and are arranged on a piece 
of string and worn round the neck.” 
AMERICA possesses a representative of the porcine group in the PECCARIES, 
two species of which animals inhabit the Brazils. : 
The common PECCARY, or TaJAcu, although it is of no very great dimen- 
sions, resembling a small pig in size, is yet a terrible animal. Ever fierce 
and irritable of temper, the Peccary is as formidable an antagonist as can be 
PECCARY. —(Dicotyles Zajacit.) 
seen in any land, for it knows no fear, and will attack any foe without 
hesitation. Although the Peccary is a very harmless animal to outward view, 
being only three feet long and weighing fifty or sixty pounds, and its armature 
consists of some short tusks that are barely seen beyond the lips, yet these 
little tusks are as fearful weapons as the longer teeth of the Bosch Vark, fox 
2 a 
