438 



The Museum Gazette 



With the hippopotamus, swine belong to a sub-order known 

 as even-toed (artiodactyla), having four toes, the two middle 

 long and the two others, i.e., index and little, small. As in all 

 four-toed mammals the thumb is wanting. All their digits 

 have three phalanges and a metacarpal or metatarsal bone. 

 Although four-toed they are only two-hoofed. 



The snout is a proboscis cut short. Root-grubbers. 



A special bone is developed in the snout. 



Suppression more or less complete of hair. Bristles. Pro- 

 longation of the nasal bones. 



Large development of dog-teeth (canines), which are, as 

 tusks, chiefly used for defence, but sometimes for digging. 



Remarkable direction of the tooth socket upwards in the 

 Babiroussa, and perforation of the lip by the upper tusk. 



Incisor teeth much less used than in grass-eating animals, 

 and often small or deficient (see wart-hog). The lower 

 incisors are directed forwards ; compare with hippopotamus. 



The Peccaries are the American representatives of swine. 

 They have only thirty-eight teeth. The middle metacarpal 

 bones unite to form a cannon bone, so also the metatarsals. 



There are two kinds of peccary, one in North and one in 

 South America. The peccary has a gland opening in the loin, 

 which secretes an offensive fluid. Of what is this gland the 

 homologue ? 



Thus, swine show relationship to cattle, horses and elephants, 

 and are still nearer to the hippopotamus, which ought to be 

 " the river pig." Their stomachs are only partially divided. 



The oldest fossil remains of swine (Miocene) do not show 

 such tusks as the present race, but in Pliocene and Pleistocene 

 times the tusks had become well developed. 



Pigs bear large families and are good mothers. They are 

 courageous and intelligent. Capable of education. Keen 

 scent. Truffle-hunters. Long face and short neck. 



Lower incisors stand forwards for digging. 



Of the Artio-dactyla, swine, peccaries and hippopotami do 

 not ruminate whilst camels, llamas, chevrotain, sheep, oxen 

 and deer do so. 



