COMMON H OG, 
dm 
gain a subsistence principally by turning up the 
earth with its nose ; we find that the neck is strong 
and brawny ; the eyes small,, and placed high in 
the head ; the snout long; the nose callous and 
tough ; and the power of smelling peculiarly acute. 
The external form is, indeed, very unwieldy, but by 
the strength of his tendons the wild boar is enabled 
to fly from the hunters with surprizing agility. 
The back toe on the feet of this animal prevents its 
slipping while it descends steep declivities. 
in Minorca the hog is converted into a beast of 
draught ; a cow, a sow, and two young horses, 
have been seen in that island yoked together, and 
of the four the sow drew the best. The ass and 
the hog are here common helpmates, and are fre- 
quently yoked together to plow the land. In some 
parts of Italy, swine are used in hunting for truffles** 
which grow some inches deep in the ground. A 
cord being tied round the hind leg of one of the 
animals, the beast is driven into the pastures, and 
we are told that whenever it stops and begins 
to root with its nose, truffles are always to be 
found. 
In proof that these animals are not destitute of 
sagacity, it would perhaps be unnecessary to recite 
any other accounts than those of the various 
f,<r learned pigs" which have at different times been 
exhibited in this country. The following is y how- 
ever, an instance more surprising than, perhaps, any 
even of these : — A gamekeeper of Sir Henry Mild- 
may (named Tupor,) actually broke a black sow 
to find game, and to back, and stand. Slut, which 
was the name he gave her, was rendered as staunch 
as any pointer. After Sir Henry's death, this pig- 
pointer was sold by auction for a very considerable 
sum of money ; but possibly the secret of breaking 
swine to the held expired with the inventor. 
The hog is one of those animals that are dooip^ 
'VOL. II. 3 B 
