s. 75), in
various parts of central and northern Europe; formerly every kingdom,[145]
and almost every province in Britain, possessed its own native breed; but
these are now everywhere rapidly disappearing, being replaced by improved
breeds crossed with the _S. Indica_ form. The skull in the breeds of the
_S. scrofa_ type resembles, in all important respects, that of the European
wild boar; but it has become (Schweineschaedel, s. 63-68) higher and broader
relatively to its length; and the hinder part is more upright. The
differences, however, are all variable in degree. The breeds which thus
resemble _S. scrofa_ in their essential skull-characters differ
conspicuously from each other in other respects, as in the length of the
ears and legs, curvature of the ribs, colour, hairiness, size and
proportions of the body.

The wild _Sus scrofa_ has a wide range, namely, Europe, North Africa, as
identified by osteological characters by Ruetimeyer, and Hindostan, as
similarly identified by Nathusius. But the wild boars inhabiting these
several countries differ so much from each other in external characters,
that they have been ranked by some naturalists as specifically distinct.
Even within Hindostan these animals, according to Mr. Blyth, form very
distinct races in the different districts; in the N. Western provinces, as
I am informed by the Rev. R. Everest, the boar never exceeds 36 inches in
height, whilst in Bengal one has been measured 44 inches in height. In
Europe, Northern Africa, and Hindostan, domestic pigs have been known to
cross with the wild native species;[146] and in Hindostan an accurate
observer,[147] Sir Walter Elliot, after describing the differences between
wild Indian and wild German boars, remarks that "the same differences are
perceptible in the domesticated {67} individuals of the two countries." We
may therefore conclude that the breeds of the _Sus scrofa_ type have either
descended from, or been modified by crossing with, forms which may be
ranked as geographical races, but which are, according to some naturalists,
distinct species.

Pigs of the _Sus Indica_ type are best known to Englishmen under the form
of the Chinese breed. The skull of _S. Indica_, as described by Nathusius,
differs from that of _S. scrofa_ in several minor respects, as in its
greater breadth and in some details in the teeth; but chiefly in the
shortness of the lachrymal bones, in the greater width of the fore part of
the palate-