ural
habits of life; but the species have generally been crossed one with
another. Most of the members of the pig family breed readily in our
menageries: even the Red River hog (_Potamochoerus penicillatus_), from
the sweltering plains of West Africa, has bred twice in the Zoological
Gardens. Here also the Peccary (_Dicotyles torquatus_) has bred several
times; but another species, the _D. labiatus_, though rendered so tame
as to be half-domesticated, breeds so rarely in its native country of
Paraguay, that according to Rengger[337] the fact requires
confirmation. Mr. Bates remarks that the tapir, though often kept tame
in Amazonia by the Indians, never breeds.

Ruminants generally breed quite freely in England, though brought from
widely different climates, as may be seen in the Annual Reports of the
Zoological Gardens, and in the Gleanings from Lord Derby's menagerie.

The Carnivora, with the exception of the Plantigrade division,
generally breed (though with capricious exceptions) almost as freely as
ruminants. Many species of Felidae have bred in various menageries,
although imported from various climates and closely confined. Mr.
Bartlett, the present superintendent of the Zoological Gardens,[338]
remarks that the lion appears to breed more frequently and to bring
forth more young at a birth than any other species of the family. He
adds that the tiger has rarely bred; {151} "but there are several
well-authenticated instances of the female tiger breeding with the
lion." Strange as the fact may appear, many animals under confinement
unite with distinct species and produce hybrids quite as freely as, or
even more freely than, with their own species. On inquiring from Dr.
Falconer and others, it appears that the tiger when confined in India
does not breed, though it has been known to couple. The cheetah (_Felis
jubata_) has never been known by Mr. Bartlett to breed in England, but
it has bred at Frankfort; nor does it breed in India, where it is kept
in large numbers for hunting; but no pains would be taken to make them
breed, as only those animals which have hunted for themselves in a
state of nature are serviceable and worth training.[339] According to
Rengger, two species of wild cats in Paraguay, though thoroughly tamed,
have never bred. Although so many of the Felidae breed readily