The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-02-20

the suida OF the Old and New World is the
greater number Of offspring which the former
produce at q birth. Thus IN the peccsTles OF
America there are bat two teats. and usually
only one is born at a time. whereas in eastern
Europe and in theiI Oriental habitats. the
mamma number frOnt 10 10. aud the litieTs
Of wild hogs are largo
There are also several other structural differ
ences which this genus exhibits that may be
glanced at in passing. As rule, the class of
animals 20 which the swine proper belong has
IS trunk vertebrR, but both IN tie wild and
domcsticzted species OF Sus, there arc sometimes
az many Is ., which is certainly wide varia-
fiOn among related forms. Moreover the
ezudal vertebra are also variable in number,
and comparing this feature as il appears in
The Eastern and Western continental groups.
We fnd that the tail Of the latter is nearly
THdimentsry. Finally, among the species he
lOnging 10 the Old World gems the body rests
upon the third and fourth toes, while tie second
aud fifth form "aiier-claws," aud the denti-
tion is as follows: Mi!k-iccih. complete at
three months-three incisoTs, one canine. four
nolaTs each SIDE Of both jaws. Adult dental
fOImUls-tbTee incisOrs. one canine, three pro-
nolaTs, three mOlars, on each SIDE Of both jaws.
DOMESTIC HOGS
DO not form strictly geological species, say the
systematic naturalists a. IL tiIeysknew what
species was, or were able 10 pronounce ration
ally upon the value and permaHeHce 81 struc-
fure. The fact D., however. that domesticated
animals are subjected 10 conditions which re-
move them 10 a certain extent from the direct
action q natural selection. Those races aud
breeds which are ia a measure. artificially pro-
duccd, are also 10 a considerable degree pro-
tocted. INSTEAD Of having 10 protect themselves.
while 50 every way the natural adjustment Of
the creature 70 ITS environment is modified.
Different strains predominant in domestic
raH a
they are bred. IL China. for example, where
tie hog 10 this state has recently been intro
dUcei, i Is an unmixed descendant Of the
Asiaiic species -Sus indIcus bot here and in
Europe the blood Of d0mesticated races i de-
rived ia varying proportions both from the
laiteT and from Sns scrOls. the European wild
bog. This creature has now become extinct ia
many provinces where it once abounded, and
al present hardly exists in a leral state outside
0flhc sparsely-populatc forest lands Of eastern
Europe permanent variety, however, as
many biologists believe, extends southwark
into Asia Minor which exhibits greater bulk,
length Of limb, muscular power and longer
tpsks. It's color Is a dusky brown with black
GtTeaks and its skin is covered with a coat Of
curly and gOolly hair growing between the
bTistles.
Properly speaking, wild swine are not gre
Rsrious, tie males only seeking the society oil
females al pairing tine. They arc, for the most
part, nocturnal Ia their habits. and during The
day lie mp IN dense aud, If 10 bc possible, in
maFshy cover. Much OF the food upon which
they sUbsist j. found beneath the surface Of tie
ground, aud IN many instances Is only dis.
cDyeTabie by the very greatly evolved olfactory
apparatus this animal possesses. The tusks are
used 70 exbume roots, bulbs. etc, aud they ais,
form formidable weapons Of defense aud o1ense
A boar always strikes upward, and from thi
position Of the iusk and motion Of the head
Al
this; =
Taking wild hogs en- fnasse they are brave
undoubtedly, and sometimes aggressive.
full-gT0Wn animal Of either sex IL always :
formidable opponent, whether the hunter b.
Oh foot OF mounted The strength, speed anC
activity they possess are great and their charg
is bOtL rapid aud determined; while accord ul
60 -. John, those Of southeastern Asia ar
among the most powerful Of all swimmers il
the mammalian class. il remains 10 say tina
among the species Of this genus CESSATION last
four months: that Ike the tgress the femal
BE- compelled 70
CONCEAL HER YOUNG FROM THE BOAR
IN order 10 preserve their liyes-a fact which
together with her habit Of retaining the youn
some time after weaving them, Is, no doubt
Que cause Of the separation Of the sexes; AM
finally, that, inheritng the popularity Of som
remote and unknown ancestor, these yOun
pigs arc born with stripes. lt is the India
hog-SGs cristatus-t 10 which these observation
more particularly apply and il istbis specie,
likewise, that IL most closely allied TO IN
European wild boar"
OF the five OF SIX specific forms belonging {
the Malay group, all may, perhaps. be regarde
az varieties more or less widely diycrging fF0T
the original stock through changes brougl
about by their altered circumstances Of life /
the great islands Of the Austraiasian Arch
pclsgo Suida OF this kind are however, cor
fined 10 those countries which were once unite
with the Continent, or al least less widely sep.
rated from il than at present; 50 that none
these animals Dre found wild in Australia
while the genus PoreHla-the Papuan pigm-
which seldom exceeds eight or 10 pounds !
weights the only ungulate indigenous
New Guinea. Wide deviations from The con
mon conformation Of the family groups al
exhibited by certain species 81 Foreala. III