MURPHY THE PIG 359 



the pushing power of a stout body, and where it is directed in its 

 operations by the aid of very keen olfactories. This is a most 

 efficient equipment for digging. If anything good to eat is buried 

 in the earth, trust the normal pig to find it. But alas! when a 

 little bit of metal ring is thrust into the sensitive base of the 

 "rooter" this beautiful contrivance fails to operate, his pigship is 

 reduced to the common level of all mammalian kind, and he is 

 left endowed with only his appetite. 



When allowed to roam in the woods, the pig lives on roots and 

 nuts, especially (the latter) acorns and butternuts. In the autumn 

 he becomes very fat. In the wild state this was evidently a 

 provision of nature for the hardships of winter. It is this charac- 

 teristic that makes the pig useful for food. 



The domesticated pig is well fitted for locomotion on either wet 

 or dry soil, for the two large, hoofed toes enable it to walk well on 

 dry ground, and the two hind toes, smaller and higher up, help to 

 sustain it on marshy soil. If not too fat, the pig is a swift runner 

 in spite of its short legs. 



We can understand a little of the pig's conversation. There is 

 the nasal growl when fighting and the squeal of terror; the con- 

 stant grunting that keeps the herd together, the complaining 

 squeal of hunger, and the satisfied grunt signifying enjoyment of 

 food. 



Today there are black pigs with white markings that have ears 

 standing erect ; there are black pigs and white pigs with drooping 

 ears; chestnut pigs with drooping ears; white pigs with erect 

 ears; there are pigs fat and pigs lean; there are large pi^^s and 

 medium pigs and small pigs, but 



"The nice little pig with the querly tail, 



All soft as satin and pinky pail, 



Is a very different thing by far 



Than the lumps of iniquity big pigs are." 



