The Natural History of Se I borne 289 



Thus far it is plain that the deprivation of masculine vigour 

 puts a stop to the growth of those parts or appendages that 

 are looked upon as its insignia. But the ingenious Mr. 

 Lisle, in his book on husbandry, carries it much farther; for 

 he says that the loss of those insignia alone has sometimes 

 a strange effect on the ability itself: he had a boar so fierce 

 and venereous, that, to prevent mischief, orders were given for 

 his tusks to be broken off. No sooner had the beast suffered 

 this injury than his powers forsook him, and he neglected 

 those females to whom before he was passionately attached, 

 and from whom no fences would restrain him. 1 



1 The question of correlation of organs and functions here touched 

 upon is one of those which received the greatest light from Darwin's in- 

 vestigations : see in particular the chapters on Sexual Selection in " The 

 Descent of Man." ED. 



