469 



PECARY. 



Sus Tajassu. S, dorso cystiferoy cauda nulla. Lin. Syst. JSfat, 



Tailless Hog, with a glandular orifice on the back. 



Sues quibus umbilicus in dorso. Aldr. hisulc. p. 939. 



Taja9u. Marcgr. Bras. j). 22^. Pis. Ind. p, gS, Tyson Act. 



Ang. n. 1^3. p. ^^j. Quadr. 97. 



Pecari, ou Taja^u. Biiff'. 10, p. 21. pi, 3, 4. 

 Mexican Hog. Pennant Quadr. i. p. 147. 



The Pecary is the only animal of tliis genus 

 that is a native of the new world, where it is 

 chiefly found in the hottest regions. Its size is 

 considerably smaller than that of a common Hog, 

 and it is of a short compact form. The whole 

 animal is thickly covered, on the upper parts, 

 with very strong, dark-brown or blackish bristles, 

 each marked by several yellowish-white rings ; so 

 that the colour of the whole appears mottled w ith 

 minute freckles or specks, and round the neck is 

 generally a whitish band or collar. The head is 

 rather large; the snout long; the ears short and 

 upright ; the belly nearly naked : there is no tail, 

 and at the lower part of the back, or at some little 

 distance beyond the rump, is a glandular orifice 

 surrounded by strong bristles in a somewhat ra- 

 diated direction. From the orifice exsudes a 

 strong-scented fluid, and this part has been vul- 

 garly supposed to be the navel of the animal : the 

 tusks in this species are not very large. 



The Pecary is a gregarious animal, and in its 

 wild state is fierce and dangerous ; sometimes at- 



V. II. p. II. 31 



