THE PIG. 221 



means of erace. For is it not the one chief 

 aim — and end — of the pig's changed life to 

 provide fat pork for the enjoyment of others ? 

 When a pig is alone in a sty he will often 

 take his meals in an indifferent and leisurely 

 manner, and as often as not, if abundantly sup- 

 plied with " wash," he will leave some of it 

 in the trough until it becomes sour and un- 

 eatable. But when several are domiciled to- 

 gether, the beautiful influence of competition, 

 which we so often admire in human affairs, 

 comes to the aid of the farmer. The instant 

 that the pail is emptied into the hog -trough 

 there is an eager rush to the spot — each pig 

 thrusting its fellows aside and plunging its 

 snout deep into the fluid in order to get as 

 much property as possible into the only strong- 

 room he knows of where his goods are in peace. 

 So determined is every pig not to let his fellows 

 have an undue share, that they all will con- 

 tinue diligently sucking up the fattening "wash" 

 until not a drop is left. 



Travellers tell us that in certain parts of Africa, 

 where an indispensable portion of a young lady's 

 dowry is physiologically of the same nature as 

 the personal wealth of the hog, it is the custom 



