82 THOSE OTHER ANIMALS. 



trouble into becoming an efficient guard in the house. He 

 is certainly capable of affection, and, as all acquainted with 

 his habits are aware, has pronounced likes and dislikes. 



In the East the pig is viewed with extreme abhorrence, 

 or, at the best, with contempt ; but as he shares this feeling 

 with the dog, it must be regarded rather as a proof of the 

 want of perspicuity on the part of man than of any demerit 

 on that of the pig. The pig does not naturally take to the 

 water, and it would have been well had he been, like the 

 dog, encouraged to do so, for when once fairly driven to it 

 he is a good swimmer ; and the popular belief, that he cuts 

 his own throat with its fore feet, is, like many other popular 

 beliefs, wholly erroneous, although it is true that he will 

 sometimes, in his first flurry at finding himself in an un- 

 accustomed element, scratch his cheeks somewhat severely. 



In the early days of our history the pig formed an even 

 more important article of food than he does now. The 

 swineherd was a much more common personage than the 

 shepherd ; and, indeed, at a time when the greater part of 

 the country was covered with a dense forest, sheep must 

 have been comparatively few and rare. In all the descrip- 

 tions of the banquets of our forefathers swine's flesh stands 

 in the very first position, and seems to have been a much 

 more common article of nutriment than beef. The pig, 

 indeed, affords a great variety of food. The boar's head, 

 properly garnished, is a lordly dish ; brawn has always 

 been regarded as a delicacy ; and pig's flesh is good whether 

 boiled or roasted, salted or smoked. The pig can be eaten 

 almost to the last scrap, for his feet are edible, chitterlings 

 and tripe are relished by many, and from his superabundant 

 fat we have the lard so useful to housewives. 



