The Natural History of Selborne

Dr Chandler’s Bantam sow brought him this last summer a large litter of pigs, several of which were not cloven-footed, but had their toes joined together.  For tho’ on the upper part of the foot there was somewhat of a suture, or division; yet below in the soles the toes were perfectly united; and on some of the hind legs there was a solid hoof like that of a colt.  The feet of the sow are completely cloven.  Mr Ray in his Synopsis animalium quadrupedum, takes on notice of this singular variety; but Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae says, “Varietas frequens Upsaliae Suis domestici semper monunguli: in ceteris eadem species.”

No hogs have annoyed us this year in my outlet.  They usually force-in after the acorns, nuts, beech & maple mast; & occasion much trouble.

Hogs, in eating acorns, chew them very small, & reject all the husks.  The plenty of acorns this year avails the hogs of poor men & brings them forward without corn.

Acorns abound, & help poor men’s hogs.  “There has lately been felt in diverse parts of Hungary so extraordinary a heat, that the husband-men could only work in the night.  All the snow that has covered the Carpathian mountains for more than a century is entirely melted.”  St. James Chronicle

Men put their hogs up a fatting.  Timothy the tortoise, who in May last, after fasting all the winter, weighed only 6 pds. & four ounces: & in Aug. when full feed weighed 6 pds. & 15 ounces: weighs now 6 pds. 9 oun. & 1/2: & so he did last Oct. at Ringmer.  Thus his weight fluctuates, according as he fasts or abstains.

Farmers put-up their fatting hogs.

Hogs are put-up in their fatting pens.  The hanging woods are beautifully tinged.