64 



GREAT GAME ANIMALS. 



The Collared Peccary, D. tajacu (1342), is found singly, in 

 pairs, or in small parties of eight to ten, and is quite harmless ; 

 but the larger White-lipped Peccary, D. labiatus (1343), is 

 generally met with in herds of from fifty to a hundred head, and 

 is of a more savage disposition, its sharp tusks inflicting severe 

 wounds. Both kinds are omnivorous, and do much harm to 

 cultivated lands. 



The Pigs. 

 Family Suite. 



[Lower 

 Mammal 

 Gallery. 

 Cases 65 

 &67J 



The Pigs or Swine of the Old World, constituting 

 the family Suidce, are characterised by the possession 

 of a long mobile snout, terminating in an oval, flat, 

 truncated, nearly naked disc, in which the nostrils are placed, and by 

 the upward curvature of the tusks (canines) in the males, or in 

 both sexes. The hoofs of the two middle toes have their adjacent 

 surfaces flattened ; while the lateral toes do not touch the ground 

 in walking. The tusks continue to grow throughout life, but the 

 incisor teeth are rooted. The molar teeth have rectangular crowns, 

 the tubercles on which never wear into the distinct trefoils charac- 

 terising those of the Hippopotamus. The skull is distinguished 

 by its great length, more or less nearly straight profile, and the 

 high, backwardly-inclined occipital crest. Very frequently the 

 young are striped ; and there are always many individuals in a 

 litter. 



Wild Pigs are omnivorous animals, feeding largely upon roots 

 and tubers, which are turned up from the ground by the mobile 

 snout. Consequently, they do much harm to agriculture, especially 

 when they associate in large herds. 



The Pigs belonging to the typical genus 

 Sus have usually a total of forty-four teeth, 

 their tusks being relatively smaller than in the 

 [Case 67.] Wart-Hogs, and being covered in part with enamel throughout 

 their whole length, instead of only at the tip. The last molar in 

 each jaw is relatively wide and of moderate length. As in the 

 Wart-Hogs, the lower tusks wear against the sides of the upper 

 ones. The genus includes three subgeneric groups, often ranked 

 as separate genera. Firstly, Sus proper, which comprises the 

 typical Wild Pigs, ranging over the greater part of Asia, and 

 Africa north of the tropics. Secondly, the diminutive Pigmy 



Typical Wild Swine. 

 Genus Sus. 



