d species. As many as a hundred of
the collared peccary have been observed in one "gang," and no doubt had
there been more of them in the neighbourhood, the flock would have been
still larger.

The white-lipped species does not extend to the northern half of the
American Continent. Its _habitat_ is in the great tropical forests of
Guyana and Brazil, and it is found much farther south, being common in
Paraguay. It is there known as the "vaquira," whence our word
"peccary." The other species is also found in South America, and is
distinguished as the "vaquira de collar" (collared peccary). Of course,
they both have trivial Indian names, differing in different parts of the
country. The former is called in Paraguay "Tagnicati," while the latter
is the "Taytetou."

Neither species is so numerous as they were informer times. They have
been thinned off by hunting--not for the value either of their flesh or
their skins, not for the mere sport either, but on account of their
destructive habits. In the neighbourhood of settlements they make
frequent forays into the maize and mandioc fields, and they will lay
waste a plantation of sugar-cane in a single night. For this reason it
is that a war of extermination has long been waged against them by the
planters and their dependents.

As already stated, it is believed that the white-lipped species is not
found in North America. Probably it does exist in the forests of
Southern Mexico. The natural history of these countries is yet to be
thoroughly investigated. The Mexicans have unfortunately employed all
their time in making revolutions. But a new period has arrived. The
Panama railroad, the Nicaragua canal, and the route of Tehuantepec, will
soon be open, when among the foremost who traverse these hitherto
unfrequented regions, will be found troops of naturalists, of the
Audubon school, who will explore every nook and corner of Central
America. Indeed, already some progress has been made in this respect.
The two species of peccaries, although so much alike never associate
together, and do not seem to have any knowledge of a relationship
existing between them. Indeed, what is very singular, they are never
found in the same tract of woods. A district frequented by the one is
always without the other.

The Collared Peccary is the species found in North America; and of it we
more particularly speak. It is met with when you approach the more
southern latitudes westwa