CORNWALL'S CONNEMARA 33 



ing, as they are very nearly all of that Cornish type 

 made with half a dozen or more large slabs of granite 

 placed gridiron-wise almost flush with the ground. 

 You step easily over the stones : but the cattle do not 

 follow, since, owing to their inability to see just where 

 their feet will be set, their legs would come down 

 between the slabs. 



Cows are in most of the fields, the dairy being the 

 main thing in these farms ; and next to the small 

 Jersey-like cow, the native breed, the pig ranks in im- 

 portance. It is pleasant to see the pigs in these parts, 

 as they are allowed more liberty in the fields and about 

 the house than they usually get in other places ; or, 

 indeed, anywhere on this side of St. George's Channel. 

 If not " the gintleman that pays the rint," the pig con- 

 tributes a good deal towards it, and short of liberty to 

 walk in at the front door and take his place in the 

 family circle he has every consideration paid him. On 

 going up to a farm-house one is sometimes obliged to 

 get round or step over a pig lying comfortably in the 

 path. One day, going to call on some friends who 

 had taken lodgings at a small farm, I found a portly 

 sow lying in the way a dozen yards or so from the 

 front door. My friends were getting ready for a 

 walk, and when we came out the sow got up and, 

 placing herself at the side of the lady, set out with 

 us. We all tried our best to turn her back, shouting 

 indignantly at her and pushing her away with our 

 sticks and boots, but all in vain she would come. 

 " I'm to blame," said the lady. " When we first came 

 we had tea out of doors, and when this pig came up 



D 



