202 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



for refuge, at the mouth of the dam, when she perceived 

 that danger was approaching ; because then probably we 

 should have found them somewhere in the neck, and not in 

 the abdomen. 



LETTER XXXII. 



CASTRATION has a strange effect : it emasculates both man, 

 beast, and bird, and brings them to a near resemblance of 

 the other sex. Thus eunuchs have smooth, unmuscular 

 arms, thighs, and legs ; and broad hips, and beardless chins, 

 and squeaking voices. Gelt stags and bucks have hornless 

 heads, like hinds and does. Thus wethers have small horns, 

 like ewes ; and oxen large bent horns, and hoarse voices 

 when they low, like cows : for bulls have short, straight 

 horns; and though they mutter and grumble in a deep 

 tremendous tone, yet they low in a shrill high key. Capons 

 have small combs and gills, and look pallid about the head, 

 like pullets ; they also walk without any parade, and hover 

 chickens like hens. Barrow-hogs have also small tusks like 

 sows. 



Thus far it is plain that the deprivation of masculine 

 vigour puts a stop to the growth of those parts or append- 

 ages that are looked upon as its insignia. But the 

 ingenious Mr. Lisle, in his book on husbandry, carries it 

 much farther ; for he says that the loss of those insignia 

 alone has sometimes a strange effect on the ability itself : 

 he had a boar so fierce and venereous, that, to prevent 

 mischief, orders were given for his tusks to be broken off. 

 No sooner had the beast suffered this injury than his 



