2/8 THE STUDY OF BREEDS. 



herds in South America, New Zealand and other 

 countries, but 



(1) Such reversion is always slow. 



(2) They do not revert to the solitary habit again, nor 

 have they the same fierceness of disposition as the wild species. 



VIII. Swine have been subjected to domesti- 

 cation from a very early period, and even among 

 semi-barbarous peoples. 



(1) Their flesh was held in high esteem by many of the 

 nations of antiquity, but 



(2) The Jews, ancient Egyptians and Hindoos were not 

 allowed to eat it, nor are the followers of Mahomet. 



IX. Two of the original breeds of swine in 

 Great Britain are still represented in what is known 

 as the Old English hog, and a breed found in the 

 Highlands and islands of Scotland. 



(1) The distinctions of the former, represented at one 

 time by several sub-varieties, have been almost obliterated 

 through crossing. 



(a) They were mostly white in color, had large and lank 

 bodies, a long snout, large pendant ears, long legs and coarse 

 hair with some bristles. 



(b) They were hard feeders and slow maturers, but grew 

 to an enormous size. 



(2) The latter were small, with rather erect ears and 

 coarse- bristles along the spine, were dusky brown in color and 

 could subsist on the poorest fare. 



X. The improved races of swine in England 

 are probably nearly all descended from the Old Eng- 

 lish hog and certain foreign crosses. 



(1) They have been so much crossed and intercrossed 

 that it is difficult to classify them aright. 



(2) While some of them are of world-wide reputation, 

 others are only known within limited areas. 



XI. The principal breeds of pigs in Britain at 

 the present time are the Yorkshire with certain sub- 

 varieties, as the Berkshire, the Tamworth, the Suf- 

 folk and the Essex. 



