Poultry. 



PIGS-RABBITS-POULTRY-CAGE-BIRDS. 



PIGS. 



'T'HOUGH, relatively speaking, the pig may 

 J. not be of the same importance to the rural 

 population as it once was, yet, to the humbler 

 classes, the ancient adage, that it was second only 

 to the cow, cannot be regarded as inapplicable. 

 As an object of natural history, it ranks with the 

 Pachydermata, or thick-skinned order of the 

 Mammalia the hog, wild-boar, and probably 

 also the peccary of South America, being varieties 

 of the same family. The most remarkable char- 

 acteristic of the common pig is its long roundish 

 snout, furnished with a strong cartilage at the 

 extremity, for the purpose of grubbing in the 

 earth for roots and other kinds of food. The feet 

 are cloven, and each possesses four toes, two of 

 which are large, and furnished with stout hoofs, 

 the other two being small, posteriorly situated, 

 and scarcely touching the ground. The body is 

 of a cylindrical form, low set, and thinly covered 

 with bristles, which rise into a mane in some of 

 the ancient varieties. The tail is small, short, 

 and in general twisted, and in some breeds is 

 altogether wanting ; the ears are either large and 

 pendulous, or short and pointed. The jaws of 

 the pig are powerful ; and the teeth with which 

 they are furnished are very formidable, particu- 

 larly in the wild varieties. Swine do not rumi- 

 nate (chew the cud); and from this and other 

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peculiarities, they can feed either on vegetable or 

 animal substances thus forming a kind of link 

 between the herbivorous and carnivorous classes 

 of animals. They are, in fact, omnivorous, and 

 scarcely any sort of food comes amiss to them. 



THE DIFFERENT BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



The more popular breeds of pigs in Britain are 

 the Berkshire, the Yorkshire, the improved Chin- 

 ese, and the improved Essex. Few will grudge 

 the preference to the Berkshire. It is a very 

 valuable pig grows to a great size, conies early to 

 maturity, is small and fine in the bone, low on its 

 legs, and very superior both as regards quantity 

 and quality of flesh. The colour is almost black, 

 with a little white about the face, head, and feet 

 One instance is on record of a Berkshire hog, fed 

 by Mr Lawton of Cheshire, measuring 9 feet 8 

 inches in length, and 4 feet 5$ inches in height, 

 and weighing, after being slaughtered and dressed, 

 86 stones 1 1 Ibs. The Yorkshire pig is an animal 

 which invariably grows to a great size. It stands 

 high on its legs, is very long in the snout, head, 

 and body. It has more bone than some other 

 breeds ; but its growing capacities, its inclination 

 to 'shift' for much of its food, and valuable bacon- 

 forming properties, render it a favourite even 

 beyond the great county from which it derives 

 its name. While the ear is moderately sized, the 



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