Return to Elementary Science I
“Father,” said Fred, “will you take us to see Mr. Brown’s pigs? We had a lesson about the pig to-day, and I want to tell Norah all about it.”
They were out together for a walk, and Fred thought it would be a good chance to see the pigs.
“Here we are at last,” said their father. “Now let us have a look at the pigs. How they are grunting and squeaking. The man has just fed them.”
“What hungry, greedy things they are!” said Norah.
“Let us see what they are eating,” said the father. “Look into the trough, and you will see pieces of bread, meat, bones, potatoes—waste of all kinds from the table. They eat anything that comes in their way.”
“Teacher says,” added Fred, “that they like to grub in the ground for acorns, beech-nuts, and roots. Look at that fellow’s broad snout. It is very hard, tough, and strong. It is meant for grubbing in the ground.”
“Yes,” said Will, “and teacher told us to think about the cat, the dog, and the sheep. They are not meant to grub in the ground with their noses. They cannot do it. They need not do it, for they do not dig their food out of the ground.”
“If we could look into the pig’s mouth,” said their father, “we should see that he has great grinding teeth behind like those of the sheep, as well as sharp-pointed teeth in front like those of the flesh-eaters.”
“Yes,” said Fred, “the pig lives on flesh as well as other food, because some of his teeth are meant for tearing flesh, and others for chewing and grinding. He can move his jaw, too, from side to side, as well as up and down.
“Now notice the eyes and ears. The eyes look small, but they are very sharp. The ears are large and wide open. They too are very sharp. The fierce flesh-eaters want sharp eyes and ears, to help them to catch their prey. The sheep and the pig are timid creatures. Their sharp eyes and ears are to warn them against their enemies.”
“Shall we look at the feet next?” said Willie. “The pig’s foot is a cloven hoof, just like the foot of the sheep.
“Teacher told us not to forget that most of the animals with a cloven hoof chew the cud, as the sheep does.
“The pig does not chew the cud. He has only one stomach. He chews his food before he swallows it, and does not bring it back into his mouth to chew it.”
Return to Elementary Science I
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