THE HOG AS A DOMESTIC ANIMAL. 91 



degrees of difference, over the greater part of England. In tho 

 northern counties, and especially in the north of Scotland, a smaller 

 race, with sharp and almost erect ears, greatly resembling the wild 

 boar in form, long existed, and is yet extant. These animals were 

 dusky or brownish-black, wild in their habits, and very hardy. We 

 say were, but in fact such is still the race in the Orkneys and He- 

 brides. They are small, rough, semi-wild beasts, depending princi- 

 pally upon their own means of gaining a subsistence, and are 

 evidently the descendants of a wild stock. Their degeneracy in size 

 may be attributed to climate and deficiency of nutrition while young ; 

 for when brought into more southern districts, and fed in the ordinary 

 way, they rapidly acquire an increase in size, fatten kindly, and 

 return excellent meat. 



These mountain hogs are in tolerable condition after their summer 

 fare, and should be killed in autumn. During the long rigorous 

 winter these animals must suffer extremely, and in some islands many 

 probably perish. 



This breed, which not a century since was common in the High- 

 lands, where vast herds were kept for the sake of sale in the Lowlands, 

 is less thoroughly reclaimed than were the old gaunt flap-eared breeds 

 of England. The latter had undergone a certain degree of modifi- 

 cation long before the improvements effected in modern days. 

 Among these old breeds was one described by Mr. George Culley ; 

 it prevailed in Yorkshire and Lancashire; the animals were of large 

 size, and white, with huge ears hanging over their eyes. " They were 

 very plain, thin, awkward hogs, with very long legs ; but what dis- 

 tinguished them most was two wattles or dugs, not unlike the teats 

 of a cow's udder, which hung down from their throats, one on each 

 side." This breed appears to be altogether extinct in our island. 



It is not often that we now hear of hogs of enormous size being 

 slaughtered ; formerly* such overgrown monsters were not uncom- 

 mon. The old Berkshire breed, which in its improved state still 

 belongs to the class of large swine, not unfrequently produced huge 

 specimens. The surprising weight that some of these hogs have 

 been fed to, would be altogether incredible, if we had it not so well 

 attested. Mr. Young, in one of his Tours, gives an account of a hog 

 in Berkshire which was fed to 1130 Ibs. ; but a still more extraor- 

 dinary pig was, some years since, killed in Cheshire : " On Monday, 

 the 24th of January, 1774, a pig (fed by Mr. Joseph Lawton, of 

 Cheshire) was killed, which measured from the end of the nose to 

 the end of the tail, 3 yards 8- inches, and in height 4 feet 5J inches ; 

 it weighed 12 cwt. 2 qrs. and 10 Ibs. when alive (1410 Ibs.) ; when 

 killed and dressed, it weighed 10 cwt. 3 qrs. and 11 Ibs. avoirdu- 

 pois (1215 Ibs ) This pig was killed by James Washington, butcher 

 in Congleton, in Cheshirvj." Cullct/, on Live Stock. 



In the month of December, 1846, a large hog was slaughtered at 



