of 



323 I 



Some counties in the south-western divi- 

 sion of England are considered famous for 

 : their breed of Hogs ; those of Hampshire, 

 Sussex, Wilts, and Berks being foremost ; 

 but since the pains that have of late years 

 been taken by breeders of stock generally 

 throughout the country, and the impetus 

 given to their exertions by the various 

 agricultural associations, we may fairly pre- 

 sume that all manifest the same praiseworthy 

 solicitude in endeavouring to excel in this 

 as in every other branch of rural economy. 

 But this part of the subject, perhaps, does 

 not properly fall within our province ; for 

 it has been said, that where art begins, the 

 history of nature ought to end. We shall 

 I therefore not notice the different qualities 

 \ which distinguish one breed from another, 

 but conclude with Mr. Bell's remarks on a 

 1 well-known variety of the Porcine genus 

 j the Chinese Hog. " The introduction of the 

 Chinese Hog has effected an astonishing 

 change in the native breeds, wherever they 

 have been crossed by it. This very remark- 

 able variety deserves particular mention, 

 not merely as a source of great improvement 

 in an important branch of stock, but also as 

 connected with a zoological question of 

 great interest. M. Frederic Cuvier believes 

 that it is derived from a wild stock specifically 

 distinct from the Wild Boar ; and could this 

 be proved, it would go far to settle the long 

 disputed and difficult question of specific 

 distinctions, as connected with the produc- 

 tion of infertile progeny : for in that case, as 

 the breed between the Chinese and the 

 Common Hog is perfectly fertile, the argu- 

 ment for specific distinction founded upon 

 that circumstance at once falls to the ground. 

 On the other hand, however, those who 

 contend that the production of fertile young 

 is a proof of specific identity in the parents, 

 would of course hold that the supposition of 

 the celebrated naturalist is erroneous upon 

 this very ground. The_ Chinese Hog is of 

 small size, short and thick ; the belly deep, 

 and when fat, nearly reaching the ground ; 

 the legs short and fine ; the head very short, 

 and the neck thick. Its influence on the 

 different breeds with which it has inter- 

 mixed, has been greatly to improve them 

 in the delicacy of the flesh ; but while the 

 ' pork of the Chinese cross is certainly excel- 

 lent, some of our own breeds are stil) es- 

 teemed as yielding by far the best bacon 

 and hams." 



HOG, ETHIOPIAN, (rhacochcenis 

 JEthiopicus.) This animal is distinguished 

 from the common Hog by a pair of large, 

 flat, semicircular lobes under the eyes ; the 

 snout is also much broader, and is very 

 strong and callous : the ears are large, and 

 slightly pointed : the tusks in the lower 

 jaw are rather small, but those in the upper 

 are large, sharp, and much curved : they 

 have no fore-teeth, their place being sup- 

 plied by very hard gums : immediately be- 

 j low the eyes the skin is loose and wrinkled, 

 and on each side the corners of the mouth is 

 a callous protuberance. The bod_y is strong, 

 and the limbs muscular ; the tail is rather 

 flat, and thinly covered with scattered hairs ; 



the colour of the whole animal, a dusky I 

 brown. It is a native of the hotter parts ' 

 of Africa, residing principally in subterra- ! 

 neous recesses, which it digs with its nose ' 

 and hoofs. When attacked or pursued, it j 

 rushes on its adversary like the Boar, and 

 shows great fierceness. 



HOG-LOUSE. [See ONISCUS.] 



HOLIBUT, or HALIBUT. (Pleuronectes 

 hippoylossus.) This fish not only exceeds in 

 size all the flounder genus, but ranks as one 

 of the largest of fishes ; sometimes attaining 

 a length of six or seven feet, and a weight of 

 800 or 400 IDS. It is a native of the Northern 

 and Mediterranean seas, and appears to ar- 

 rive at its greatest size in the former. It is 

 considered as the most voracious of its tribe ; 

 preying on a variety of other fishes and crus- 

 tacea. The colour of the Holibut is deep 

 brown above, and white beneath ; the body 

 being quite smooth, and the scales mode- 

 rately small. Its flesh is coarse and dry, 

 but it admits of being salted ; and it con- 

 stitutes no inconsiderable part of the food of 

 the Greenlanders, who cut it into thin slips, 

 and dry it in the sun. In the London 

 markets this fish is usually cut into large 

 pieces when exposed for sale. 



HOLOTHURIA. A genus of marine 

 Radiata, the distinguishing characters of 

 which are, that the body is of an elongated 

 form, defended by a coriaceous integument ; 

 open at both ends, and perforated by nu- 

 merous small canals, through which suckers 

 are protruded. At the anterior extremity 

 is the mouth, furnished with many retrac- 

 tile tentacula, and at the opposite end is the 

 aperture of the cloaca. 



The Holothurice of the European seas are 

 neither numerous nor brilliantly coloured ; 

 but in more tropical seas, where coral reefs 

 rise within a moderate distance of the sur- 

 face, as in the Red Sea, and the seas to the 

 north and east of Australia, they are ex- 

 ceedingly numerous, and many of them 

 splendidly coloured ; so that, together with 

 other Radiata of this and other orders, they 

 make the sea-bottom, when seen by the 

 light of an almost vertical sun, as gay as a 

 tropical garden. The Holothurice resemble 

 cucumbers ; and various Actitise, when 

 their tentacula are expanded, have as gay 

 an appearance as the flowers of almost any 

 plants. Many of this species are esculent, 

 and of a very gelatinous nature. When 

 properly prepared, the Chinese are exceed- 

 ingly fond of them as a principal ingredient 



in restorative soups. The Malays catch and 

 dry them in great quantities for the Chi- 

 nese markets, where they fetch a high price, 

 and are called Trepang. 



We learn from a paper by Mr. C. W. 

 Peach, read before the Royal Polytechnic 

 Institution of Cornwall, that a species of 



