278 THE CULTIVATOR. Sept. 
THE WILD BOAR.-Fig. 59. 
Yoijatt observes that there have been numerous theo¬ 
ries advanced. One writer supposes the law pro¬ 
hibited swine because of their extreme filthiness, and 
he observes that it is well known with what care and 
precision the law forbids all filthiness and dirt, even in 
the fields and in the camp, not to mention in the cities. 
Now, had swine been permitted, the public places, and 
streets, and houses, would have been made nuisances.” 
“ Tacitus,” says Mr. Youatt, “ states that the 
Jews abstained from it in consequence of a leprosy, by 
which they had formerly severely suffered, and to which 
the hog is very subject. And several other writers 
concur in this view, stating that it was on account of 
the flesh being strong, oleaginous, difficult of digestion, 
and liable to produce cutaneous diseases, that it was 
forbidden. Michaelis, observes, that throughout the 
whole climate under \Vhich Palestine is situated, lep¬ 
rosy is an epidemic disease, and the Israelites being 
overrun with it at the period of their quitting Egypt, 
Moses found it necessary to enact a variety of laws 
respecting it, and the prohibiting the use of swine was 
one of these.” 
Notwithstanding the apparent detestation with 
which the Jews regarded swine, Mr. Y. observes that 
it is well known they reared immense numbers of these 
animals, u probably for the purpose of gain, and in or¬ 
der to supply strangers and the neighboring idola¬ 
ters.” 
Natural Instincts of the Pig. —Mr. Youatt 
vindicates the pig against the charge of stupidity, fil¬ 
thiness, and intractability. 
u It has been too much the custom to regard the 
hog as a stupid, brutal, rapacious, and filthy animal, 
grovelling and disgusting in all his habits; intractable 
and obstinate in temper. But may not much of these 
evil qualities be attributable to the life he leads ? In 
a native state, swine seem by no means destitute of 
natural affections; they are gregarious, assemble to¬ 
gether in defence of each other, herd together for 
warmth, and appear to have feelings in common; no 
mother is more tender of her young than the sow, or 
more resolute in their defence. Besides, neglected as 
this animal has ever been by authors, there are not 
wanting records of many anecdotes, illustrative of 
their sagacity, tractability, and susceptibility of affec¬ 
tion. How often among the peasantry, where the pig is, 
in a manner of speaking, one of the family, may this 
animal be seen following his master from place to 
place, and grunting his recognition of his protectors.” 
The most remarkable case of intelligence and tracta¬ 
bility in swine, of which we have heard, is that of a 
sow trained to hunt, an account of which is given in 
the following extract from Daniel’s Rural Sports: 
“ Toomer, (formerly one of the king’s keepers i» 
the New Forest, and afterwards gamekeeper to Sir 
Henry Mildmay,) actually broke a black sow to find 
game, and to back and stand. Slut was bred in, and 
was of that sort which maintain themselves in the New 
Forest without regular feeding, except when they have 
young, and then but for a few weeks, and was given, 
when about three months old, to be a breeding sow, by 
Mr. Thomas to Mr. Richard Toomer, both at that 
time keepers in the forest. From having no young she 
was not fed or taken much notice of, and, until about 
eighteen months old, was seldom observed near the 
lodge, but chanced to be seen one day when Mr. Ed¬ 
ward Toomer was there. The brothers were con¬ 
cerned together in breaking pointers and setters, some 
of their own breeding, and others sent to be broke by 
different gentlemen: of the latter, although they would 
stand and back, many were so indifferent that they 
would neither hunt, nor express any satisfaction when 
birds' were killed and put before them. The slack¬ 
ness of these dogs first suggested the idea that, by the 
same method, any other animal might be made to 
stand, and do as well as any of those huntless and 
inactive pointers. At this instant the sow passed by, 
and was remarked as being very handsome. R. Too¬ 
mer threw her a piece or two of oatmeal roll, for which 
she appeared grateful, and approached very near; from 
that time they were determined to make a sporting pig 
of her. The first step was to give her a name, and 
that of Slut, (given in consequence of soiling herself in 
a bog,) she acknowledged in the course of the day, and 
never afterwards forgot. Within a fortnight she would 
find and point partridges or rabbits, and her training 
was much forwarded by the abundance of both which 
were hear the lodge; she daily improved., and in a few 
weeks would retrieve birds that had run as well as the 
best pointer, nay, her nose was superior to the best 
pointer they ever possessed, and no two men in Eng¬ 
land had better. She hunted principally on the moors 
and heaths. Slut has stood partridges, black-game, 
pheasants, snipes, and rabbits, in the same day, but 
was never known to point a hare. She was seldom 
taken by choice more than a mile or two from the 
lodge, but has frequently joined them when out with 
their pointers, and continued with them several hours. 
