The Collared Peccary is a native of the dense forests throughout the greater part of South America, and is usually met with in pairs, or small families. They take up their abode in hollow trees or holes of the earth, where they seek a refuge from the pursuit of their enemies, of which, with the exception of man, the jaguar is the most destructive. Plantations of maize, sugar-cane, and potatoes, often suffer from their incursions. It is only when hard pressed that this peccary defends itself; indeed, it displays nothing of the sullen courage of the wild boar, but retreats on the appearance of danger, and precipitately seeks its hiding-place.

"It is," says D'Azara, "domesticated with more facility than the wild hog, and becomes troublesome from its familiarity. It is said, and I believe it, that its flesh is good, but not so fat as that of the hog; when it is killed, however, the glandular orifice, between the haunches, must be removed, since, if this be not done, the flesh acquires a bad odour and taste. Nevertheless, the Indians eat it without this precaution." The collared peccary is about three feet in length, and is distinguished by a stripe

of white, or yellowish-white, passing from the withers down each shoulder, and meeting on the throat. Its general colour is grizzled blackish-gray-the bristles being ringed gray, straw-colour, and black.

THERE is a genus of animals* which so resemble the hog in manners, form, and aspect, that, were it not for the peculiarity of their dentition, they would necessarily be included in the genus Sus. Instead, however, of presenting the ordinary structure, the grinders have a great analogy with those of the elephant: they are composed of vertical cylinders of enamel inclosing an osseous deposit, and are cemented together by cortical substance, or crusta petrosa. It is long before the root of these teeth is perfected, and they advance in rotation from behind, pushing before them the first molars, which, in old individuals, are found to be either greatly reduced, or to have entirely disappeared. It is not till after ceasing to push forward that the roots become consolidated. With regard to number, they appear to vary.

In the skull of a phacochere, which was carefully examined, the molars were found to be four on cach side above, and three below. From the first molar above, which was very small, to the third, the increase in size was gradual, but the fourth molar was long, and narrowed gradually as it proceeded backwards. Had the animal lived much longer, it is probable that the first molar would have disappeared. The incisors were two above and six below. The tusks were enormous. We give a specimen of these animals (page 258). Their head is enormously large and heavy; the eyes are small, and set high in the forehead, which is depressed between them; under each eye is a large, fleshy lobe; and a warty excrescence appears on each side of the muzzle, between the eye and the tusks. The muzzle is very broad, and the ears are erect.

THE ABYSSINIAN PHACOCHERE.*

THIS species, sometimes called Elian's Wart-hog, was found by Rüppell, first in Kordofan, but afterwards, in greater abundance, on the eastern slope of Abyssinia. It haunts low bushes and forests, and has a habit of creeping on its bent fore limbs in quest of food. In this attitude it uses its tusks in digging up or tearing out of the ground the roots or plants, which constitute part of its diet. When

SKULL OF PHACOCHERE.

thus engaged, it pushes its body forward by means of its hind legs, in order to move along. This habit has been occasionally noticed in the common hog.

The capture of another speciest is thus described by Capt. Sir C. Harris::- "Returning one drizzly morning from the banks of the Limpopo, with the spoils of three noble water-bucks packed upon my horse, I chanced upon a very large drove of the unclean beasts, feeding unconcernedly on the slope of a hill; and the sleet obscuring my rifle sights, I projected no fewer than three bullets at the diabolical-looking boar without touching a bristle; the whole party, with a general grunt, scampering off after each discharge to a little distance, then wheeling about to show a menacing front, exalting their whip-lash tails at the same time, and screwing horrible faces at me. But the fourth missive tripped up the hoary general; and, although shooting a pig may sound somewhat oddly in the sporting ears of my brother Nimrods, I can assure them that whilst we had no horses to spare, 'the head of that ilk swine' proved a prize well worth the lead and gunpowder that had been expended on it. Gigantic, and protruding like those of an elephant, the upper tusks were sufficiently hooked to admit of the wearer hanging himself up by them to roost, as did his ancestors of yore, if the ancients are to be believed. By all who saw these trophies in the colony, they were invariably taken for the ivories of a Zeekoe (hippopotamus), the best that I afterwards realised measuring less than one-half their length."

THE RED POTAMOCHERE.‡

THIS animal-the Red Hog of the Cameroons-is also found on some of the other rivers of Western Africa. It was long known to the merchant explorers of those mysterious streams, but till recently had escaped the grasp of scientific naturalists. Its nearest analogue is the Bosch Vaik§ of the Cape, the Sus larvatus of Cuvier. A few years ago, one was added to the collection in the Zoological Gardens, and of it we give an engraving (page 259). Its bright red colour, the white streak which marks the line of its back, and its long, lynx-like, tufted ears, are very remarkable. Specimens of these curious animals are to be seen in the Zoological Gardens. The Red Potamochere is by far the more rare. The female has produced three litters; but, unfortunately, of the first two, none of the young lived beyond

a few weeks.

• Phaccchoerus Eliani. Rüppell.

† Phacochoerus Ethiopicus.

§ Potamochoerus Africanus.

Potamochoerus penicillatus. Choiropotamus

THE Ruminants-forming a highly varied order of animals feed principally on herbage. Wherever vegetation clothes the earth, it requires neither skill nor exertion, on their part, to seek and to devour the rich repast which is profusely spread at their feet. To remove from one pasture to another, to browse and to repose, constitute the peaceful employment of their lives, and satisfy the conditions of their being. To these purposes, therefore, the whole conformation of their skeleton, and especially of those parts which form the limbs, is adapted. The anterior extremities having only to support the weight of the fore part of the trunk, and to assist in progressive motion, have a less complicated arrangement of joints than we find in some other animals, and exhibit many of those consolidations of the bones which tend to simplify the structure, and to contribute to its strength.

As these animals never engage in sanguinary warfare to satisfy the calls of appetite, but are often unprovided with any adequate means of defence from powerful and ferocious enemies, their only resource is a rapid and precipitate flight. Hence we find among them the fleetest of quadrupeds. In the gazelle, and similar animals, the parts comprising the hind legs are larger, and inclined to one another at angles more acute than in other tribes of mammalia; so that they are always ready to spring forward on the slightest notice of danger, and instantly to commence their flight.

As the heads of Ruminants must reach the ground, in order to graze, we find that the neck has been much elongated, when compared with the Pachydermata; that the muscles which raise the head have been enlarged and strengthened, and that the spinous processes of the back and neck have been much expanded, in order to allow of sufficient surface for the attachments of these muscles. The effort requisite to raise, and even support the head, is very considerable, as will appear when we reflect that its weight acts by means of an extremely long lever-for such is the mechanical office of the elongated neck.

But, in order to economise the muscular power, an elastic ligament + is employed to sustain the weight of the head. This ligament is formed of a great number of bands which connect the hinder part of the cranium, at the ridge of the occipital bone, and all the spinous processes of the neck, with those of the back-the separate slips from each being successively joined together, and composing a

ligament of great length and power. It differs in its structure from ordinary ligaments, being highly elastic; so that it yields to the extension of the neck when the animal lowers its head, and gives considerable assistance to the muscles in raising it. In the deer and the ox, which toss their heads with force and especially in the males, which are armed with antlers or horns-the muscles performing those motions are remarkably strong, and the spinous processes of the back particularly prominent. In the loins, on the contrary,

the transverse processes are more enlarged, for the purpose of giving a powerful mechanical purchase to the muscles which are inserted into them.

The chest of Ruminants is compressed laterally, in order to allow room for the unrestrained motions of the anterior extremity; and the sternum projects so as to resemble the keel of a ship. Both the humerus in front, and the femur behind, are so short as to appear, on a superficial view, to form part of the trunk-being entirely enveloped and concealed by the large muscles connecting them

STOMACHS OF RUMINANTS.

with the body. The heads of the two humeri, in consequence of the absence of the clavicle, are brought very near each other, so as to occupy a situation as nearly as possible underneath the weight which the limb has to support. What is often called, the knee in the fore leg is, properly, the wrist, and, in the hind leg, the part so misnamed is really the heel. Thus, the foot-especially in the posterior extremity

-is of great length: a structure. which is evidently intended to give greater velocity to the action of the muscles, while it, at the same time, insures the utmost steadiness and security of motion. The organs of progressive motion, in this remarkable tribe of animals, are, therefore, so moulded as to accommodate them to the peculiar conditions of their existence, while their relations to the primitive type to which they belong are preserved.

Provided with the means of flight from formidable foes, they bear on their heads others of defence against their more equal rivals of the field. Even when not furnished with horns, the animal instinctively strikes with its forehead, where the frontal bone has been expanded and fortified, apparently with a view to this result. The ram butts with its head without reference to the horns, which are coiled so as to be turned away from the object to be struck; while, in the deer and the ox tribes, the horns are formidable weapons.

The Ruminants derive their name, however, from a peculiarity of structure which must be specially