Although the Wild Boar is not as plentiful in Palestine as used to be the case, it is still found in considerable numbers. Whenever the inhabitants can contrive to cut off the retreat of marauding parties among the crops, they turn out for a general hunt, and kill as many as they can manage to slay. After one of these hunts, the bodies are mostly exposed for sale, but, as the demand for them is very small, they can be purchased at a very cheap rate. Signor Pierotti bought one in the plains of Jericho for five shillings. For the few who may eat the hog, this is a fortunate circumstance, the flesh being very excellent, and as superior to ordinary pork as is a pheasant to a barn-door fowl, or venison to mutton. THE ELEPHANT. The Elephant indirectly mentioned in the Authorized Version--Solomon's ivory throne--Ivory used in Egypt--Horns of ivory--The ivory palaces--Beds of ivory--The Tyrian ships--Ivory mentioned by Homer--Vessels of ivory--The Elephant as an engine of war--Antiochus and his Elephants--Oriental exaggeration--Self-devotion of Eleazar--Attacking the Elephants, and their gradual abandonment in war--The Talmudical writers on the Elephant--A funeral and an omen. Except indirectly, the Elephant is never mentioned in the Authorized Version of the Canonical Scriptures, although frequent references are made to ivory, the product of that animal. The earliest mention of ivory in the Scriptures is to be found in 1 Kings x. 18: "Moreover the king (_i.e._ Solomon) made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold." This passage forms a portion of the description given by the sacred historian of the glories of Solomon's palace, of which this celebrated throne, with the six steps and the twelve lions on the steps, was the central and most magnificent object. It is named together with the three hundred golden shields, the golden vessel of the royal palace, and the wonderful arched viaduct crossing the valley of the Tyropoeon, "the ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord," all of which glories so overcame the Queen of Sheba that "there was no more spirit in her." We see, therefore, that in the time of Solomon ivory was so precious an article that it was named among the chief of the wonders to be seen in the palace of Solomon, the wealthiest and most magnificent monarch of sacred or profane history.