THE PIG. 219 



something like a submarine boat or a White- 

 head torpedo. His nose is the thin end of a 

 wedge (or rather a cone) for forcing apart the 

 close - set stems of his native thickets. His 

 hide, especially about the shoulders and back, 

 is extraordinarily tough. The bristly cover- 

 ing of the wild hog is a perfect protection 

 against the thorns, which, however pointed and 

 curved, slide alonsf among- the stiff elastic hairs 

 without impediment and without reaching the 

 skin at all. Hence he Avill plunge at head- 

 long speed through dense masses of bramble 

 and brier where no other animal of his size 

 and weight can follow. If any of us were to 

 pursue the same track we should get our 

 clothes, and afterwards our skins, torn to 

 shreds. He merely gets his hair thoroughly 

 combed, and rather likes it than otherwise. 



Another attribute traceable to the needs of 

 wild life among swine of which the farmer avails 

 himself, is the proverbial greediness to which 

 I have incidentally alluded. Now, we do not, 

 when using our civilised ethical standards, regard 

 gluttony as a virtue. But supposing a man 

 were so situated that it was his one supreme 

 duty to devour all the food he could get, it 



