Major is disposed to reduce them to four if not to fewer species. He allows the widely-ranging S. scrofa, S. vittatus, and the eastern Malayan S. verrucosus and S. barbatus.
Fig. 142.—Pygmy Hog (from Nature). Sus salvania. × 1⁄6.
The Pygmy Hog of the Bhotans seems to be not entitled to specific rank, certainly not to generic (in the opinion of some), though it has been termed Porcula salvania.[[178]] The Wild Boar of Europe is Sus scrofa. It was formerly quite abundant in this country; not merely are its remains exhumed from fens, caves and peat bogs, but there is ample evidence of its continuance down to a comparatively late historic period. Enactments are on record as to the hunting of these animals; there are places, such as Boarstall, whose names are clearly derived from the name of the animal, presumably once a native of the locality; and various documents all show the presence of the Wild Boar
in this country down to so late a period as the end of the sixteenth century.
Fig. 143.—Wart Hog. Phacochoerus aethiopicus. × 1⁄6.
The African Wart Hog, genus Phacochoerus, is usually regarded as the type of a distinct genus of Pigs. This animal, "superlatively ugly" with its huge tusks and great protuberances upon the face, is chiefly to be distinguished from the genus Sus by these characters, and by the complexity of the last molar, which, with the tusks, are sometimes in aged animals the only teeth left. The complete formula is Pm 2/2 M 3/3. There are two species of this genus, P. aethiopicus and P. africanus. When enraged the Wart Hog is said to carry its tail directly up, and to present a ludicrous as well as ferocious appearance.
Fig. 144.—Head of Wart Hog.