322 



flatxtral 



tacked, the largest and strongest front the 

 enemy, and by pressing all round against 

 the weaker, force them into the centre. 

 Domestic Hogs are also observed to defend 

 themselves in the same manner. The Wild 

 Boar is hunted with dogs, or killed by sur- 



prise during the night, when the moon 

 shmes. As he flies slowly, leaves a strong 

 odour behind him, and defends himself 



against the dogs, and often wounds them 

 dangerously, fine hunting-dogs are unne- 

 cessary ; and they would have their nose 

 spoiled and acquire a habit of moving slowly 

 by hunting him. Mastiffs, with very little 

 training, are sufficient. The oldest Boars, 

 which are known by the track of their feet, 

 should alone be hunted : a young Boar of 

 three years old is difficult to be attacked ; 

 because he runs very far without stopping : 

 but the old Boars do not run far, allow the 

 dogs to come near, and often stop to repel 

 them. During the day the Boar commonly 

 keeps in his soil, which is in the most se- 

 questered part of the woods, and comes out 

 by night in quest of food ; and in summer, 

 ] when the grain is ripe, it is easy to surprise 

 him among the cultivated fields, which he 



I 1 frequents every night." 

 The Wild Boar is in general more gaunt 

 I and bony, the muscular strength much 

 greater, and the temper far more savage, 

 than the domestic Hog. It is of a dark 

 i brindled gray colour, or blackish ; but when 

 I only a year or two old, is of a dull yellowish 

 | brown cast ; and when quite young, is 

 I marked by alternate dusky and pale longi- 

 I tudiual bauds along the sides. Between the 

 I bristles, next the skin, is a finer or softer 

 ! hair, of a woolly or curly nature. The snout 

 is somewhat longer in proportion than that 

 of the domestic species ; but the principal 

 difference is in the length of the tusks, 



Though ordinarily timid and inoffensive, 

 it is found that the females show the most 

 determined courage when their young are 

 1 attacked, and defend them with all imagin- 

 able fierceness. If two Boars chance to meet 

 in the early part of the year, at which time 

 the male seeks the female, the most furious 

 encounters ensue. By a forest law of Wil- 

 liam I. (A. D. 1087), it was ordained that any 

 who were found guilty of killing the Stag, 

 the Roebuck, or the Wild Boar, should 

 have their eyes put out I 



The COMMON, or DOMESTIC HOG (Sits 

 scrofa) differs from the wild animal princi- 



pally in having smaller tusks and larger | 

 ears, which are also somewhat pendent and i 

 of a more pointed form. In colour, as well [ 

 as size, it varies very considerably, but the j 

 prevailing cast is a dull yellowish white, 

 marked or spotted irregularly with black, , 

 sometimes perfectly plain or unspotted, i 

 sometimes rufous, and sometimes totally 

 black. Of all quadrupeds the Hog is the I 



BERKSHIRE HOO. 



most gross in his manners, and has therefore 

 been generally regarded as the very personi- : 

 ficatiou of impurity. The Jews were strictly 

 enjoined not to eat its flesh ; and the Ma- i 

 hometans agree in this respect with the 

 Mosaic prohibition. Inmost parts of Europe, 

 however, it constitutes a very material part 

 of the food of mankind. And we may do ; 

 well to reflect, while we decry the filthy ; 

 habits of this Tuumal, that from our own j 

 sensations we are often apt to form a partial ; 

 judgment, and overlook that wise decree of 

 Providence which adapts every part of crea- 

 tion to its respective inhabitants. The Hog 

 is an animal of a remarkably prolific nature ; 

 and, as they bring forth from ten to fifteen, 

 and sometimes twenty, at a litter, they 

 would soon become very numerous, were 

 they not diminished for the support of man. 

 Tiieir flesh, says Linnaeus, is wholesome food 

 for persons of athletic constitutions, or those 

 who habituate themselves to much exercise, 

 but improper for such as lead sedentary j 

 lives. It is, however, an article of general 

 consumption, and one which is of great im- 

 portance to a naval and commercial nation, 

 as it takes salt better than any other flesh, J 

 and consequently is capable of being longer I 

 preserved. 



The Jews and Mahometans not only ab- | 

 stain from the flesh of swine from a religious I 

 principle, but even consider themselves de- 

 filed by touching it. The Chinese, on the | 

 contrary, are so excessively fond of pork, that | 

 many, owing to this partiality alone, as it is 

 said, have been prevented from conversion to 

 Mahometanism. The fat of swine differs, 

 in its situation, from that of almost every 

 other quadruped, as it forms a thick, distinct, j 

 and continued layer betwixt the flesh and | 

 the skin. Lard, which is chiefly obtained \ 

 from the fat membranes of the abdomen, is j 

 applicable to various uses, both culinary and j 

 medicinal ; and when good, is white and 

 moderately hard. The skin, when properly : 

 dressed, is used for the seats of saddles ; it is 

 also employed by various artificers. 



Great attention has been paid in this 

 country to the improvement of the various ; 

 breeds; and by judicious crosses much has 

 been effected both as to quality and size. ' 



