180 SUPPLEMENTAL HISTORY OF MAN, 



with the same line greatly inclined, there are indi- 

 viduals who display every possible degree between 

 these differences. Where then shall we draw the 

 line of separation if they are not all from a common 

 origin ? 



The different species of the same class with us, 

 the mammalia, ramify into varieties as notable as 

 any of ours. Not to accumulate instances, let us 

 select pigs as illustrative of this, because, in certain 

 particulars, they are more assimilated to us ; like 

 us, they are found wild and domesticated ; they are 

 carnivorous ; very much spread over the different 

 countries of the world, and have consequently their 

 tendency to variety from local circumstances more 

 excited. Having been also much transported by 

 us from one country to another, the progress of 

 degeneration or variety has been very extensively 

 observed. 



The wild boar is remarkable for his long and 

 powerful tusks as well as other personal traits which 

 distinguish him from his domesticated congener, 

 but the young of the wild swine, taken early and 

 domesticated, cease immediately to possess these 

 powerful weapons, and lose all the characters of 

 the wild animal ; while, on the other hand, domes- 

 ticated pigs having escaped to the forest, have so 

 far assumed the appearance of the wild inhabitant 

 of it, as to be shot for such, and known only to 

 have been once in the power of man, by being found 

 castrated, when opened. 

 In Piedmont the swine are all black : in Bavaria 



