A comprehensive, richly illustrated introduction to the fascinating natural history of the pig, from prehistory to the present At any given time, there are around one billion pigs in the world; that's one for every seven of us. And where would we be without them? Prolific, ubiquitous, smart, adaptable, and providers of high-quality protein, pigs have been our companions since neolithic times, when they obligingly domesticated themselves, coming in from the wild to root around our waste pits. But it's not all about the bacon; today, bred in micro sizes, the resourceful pig has developed a whole new career as a popular pet. And thanks to genome mapping, we now know that the pig shares many common physiological features with humans, spurring the use of pig tissue and organs in medical research and surgery. Beautifully designed and illustrated, The Pig provides a snout-to-tail natural history of this important species, from the prehistoric "hell pig" to today's placid porker, covering the pig's evolution and domestication, anatomy and biology, behavior, role in human life and culture, and breeds. The book also features an engrossing and visually stunning photographic gallery of some thirty popular breeds from around the world, with essential information about each. Filled with surprising facts and insights, The Pig will delight anyone who loves these animals and wants to understand them better. Provides a comprehensive, richly illustrated introduction to the pig's evolution and domestication, anatomy and biology, behavior, role in human life and culture, and breeds Features infographics, diagrams, and 250 stunning color photographs Includes a beautiful photographic directory to some 30 popular breeds from around the world, with essential information about each

* Entertaining, informative, and packed with unusual facts * Illustrated in color throughout Pig, porker, hog, swine--however you refer to him, there is no doubt that the chubby quadruped with the curly tail and the big oink is regarded with enormous affection. The author explores the influence of the pig's characteristics and his quirky nature on our language, literature, and general outlook on life. Piggy appearances in the media, both ancient and modern, are celebrated with a wide array of quotations from such diverse sources as Horace, Shakespeare, Bunyan, and Kipling, not to mention Noel Coward, Beatrix Potter, and The Goon Show. Higgledy-Piggledy offers us a marvelous selection of sayings and proverbs concerning all things porcine. Entertaining, informative, packed with unusual facts, and meticulously researched, Richard Lutwyche's book at last does proper justice to the rich heritage of the pig. Higgledy-Piggledy will amuse and captivate all those who love these endearing and intelligent farmyard inhabitants.