Chap. III. THEIR PARENTAGE. 69 



does not inhabit India, and the best -known domesticated 

 breeds have been imported from Siam and China. 



First for the Sus scrofa breeds, or those resembling the 

 common wild boar. These still exist, according to Nathusius 

 (Schweineschadel, s. 75), in various parts of central and 

 northern Europe ; formerly every kingdom, 2 and almost 

 every province in Britain, possessed its own native breed; 

 but these are now everywhere rapidly disappearing, being 

 replaced by improved breeds crossed with the S. indicas 

 form. The skull in the breeds of the S. scrofa type re- 

 sembles, in all important respects, that of the European wild 

 boar; but it has become (Schweineschadel, s. 63-68) higher 

 and broader relatively to its length ; and the hinder part is 

 more upright. The differences, however, are all variable in 

 degree. The breeds which thus resemble S. scrofa in their 

 essential skull characters differ conspicuously from each other 

 in other respects, as in the length of the ears and legs, cur- 

 vature of the ribs, colour, hairiness, size and proportions of 

 the body. 



The wild Sus scrofa has a wide range, namely, Europe, 

 North Africa, as identified by osteological characters by Eiiti- 

 meyer, and Hindostan, as similiarly identified by Nathusius. 

 But the wild boars inhabiting these several countries differ 

 so much from each other in external characters, that they have 

 been ranked by some naturalists as specifically distinct. Even 

 within Hindostan these animals, according to Mr. Blyth, 

 form very distinct races in the different districts ; in the N. 

 Western provinces, as I am informed by the Eev. E. Everest, 

 the boar never exceeds 36 inches in height, whilst in Bengal 

 one has been measured 44 inches in height. In Europe, 

 Northern Africa, and Hindostan, domestic pigs have been 

 known to cross with the wild native species; 3 and in 



2 Nathusius, ' Die Racen des published on the fertility of the off- 

 Schweines,' Berlin, 1860. An excel- spring from wild and tame swine, 

 lent appendix is given with references se<?Burdach's 'Physiology,' and Godron 

 to published and trustworthy draw- ' De l'Espece,' torn. i. p. 370. For 

 ings of the breeds of each country. Africa, ' Bull, de la Soc. dAcclimat.,' 



3 For Europe, see Bechstein, 'Na- torn. iv. p. 389. For India, see Nathu- 

 turgesch. Deutschlands,' 1801, B. i., s. sins, 'Schweineschadel,' s. 148. 



505. Several accounts have been 



