70 THE HOG. 



size of their pigs, and at the same time give to the breeds all the 

 value arising from early maturity, a kindly disposition, and produc- 

 tiveness. M. Magne says, " Our breeds of pigs are in general very 

 defective ; they are long-limbed, thin-necked, narrow-chested, and 

 have high curved backs ; they are hardy, but far from precocious, 

 fatten with difficulty, and consume an immense quantity of food com- 

 pared with the flesh they yield." 



We are partly indebted to Mr. Wilson's valuable " Essay on Do 

 mestic Animals" for the following account of the present chief 

 breeds of swine in France. The most distinguishable of the present 

 races of France are the following : 



" 1. The race of the Pays tfAuge, (by some authors called the 

 Normandy breed,) which has the head small and sharp-pointed ; the 

 ears narrow and pointed ; the body lengthened ; the legs broad and 

 strong ; the hair coarse, spare, and of a white color ; and the bones 

 small. It attains to the weight of 600 Ibs." M. Bella considers that 

 this breed are great eaters, but do not fatten kindly. 



2. The race of Poitu, of which the head is long and thick, the point 

 projecting ; the ears large and pendulous ; the body lengthened ; the 

 bristles white and coarse ; the feet broad and strong ; and the bones 

 large. Its weight does not exceed 500 Ibs. 



3. The race of Perigord, of which the neck is thick and short, the 

 oody broad and compact, and the hair black, short, and rough. This 

 race, when crossed with the Poitou pigs, produces very good ani 

 mals; and it is probable that the pied swine, so common in the 

 south of France, are descended from this cross. 



4. The race of Boulogne. Of considerable dimensions, and well 

 inclined to fatten quickly ; ears very broad ; general color white. 

 This breed has sprung from a cross between the large English breed 

 and one of the common races of France. 



Of other continental races we shall mention the Jutland swine. 

 Of these the ears are large and pendent, the body elongated, the 

 back somewhat curved, the legs long. The size of this breed is con- 

 siderable, as from 200 Ibs. to 300 Ibs. (French livres) of lard are 

 got from them in their second year. They form an important branch 

 of commerce. 



The race known abroad under the name of Cochon de Siam is the 

 representative of our Chinese breed. Its ears are short, straight, and 

 flexible ; its body is covered with soft and somewhat silky hair, which 

 is stiff and thick on the head and back of the neck, and frizzly on the 

 cheeks and under jaw ; on the other parts it is thin, and for the most 

 part hard and black. The skin is also black, except on the belly ; 

 the eyes are surrounded by a slight tinge of flame-color ; their tails 

 measure nine inches in length ; their bodies three feet three inches ; 

 their height at the shoulder is one foot eight inches (French.) Thia 



