In other words, the more helpless the creature the less need for humanity! “In Denmark and many parts of Germany and Switzerland the law requires that sheep shall always be stunned previous to being stuck, and the Committee have satisfied themselves, by practical experiments and observation, that this can be done expeditiously and without difficulty. A small club with a heavy head should be used, and the sheep should be struck on the top of the head between the ears. This point is important, as it is almost impossible to stun a sheep by striking it on the forehead. . . . It was also clearly demonstrated that the stunning caused no injury to the sheep’s head or to the ‘scrag of mutton’ which could in any way depreciate their market value.” Notwithstanding this recommendation, the Local Government Board had (up to 1915) omitted from their model by-laws (which, as before said, are not obligatory) a regulation requiring the stunning of sheep. In 1915, however, they added the following alternative clause: “9 (_b_). A person shall not in a slaughter-house proceed to slaughter _any animal_ until the same shall have been effectually stunned with a mechanically operated instrument suitable and sufficient for the purpose.” And in their memorandum they say: “At the present time the Board understand that a ‘humane-killer’ can be got which is adapted for stunning _any kind of animal_, reasonable in cost, and effective and simple in operation. It appears, too, that the use of the improved instruments can readily be learnt, so that no prolonged training is needed for their proper manipulation.” One can only hope that every Local Authority will now adopt this clause, and insist on the stunning of sheep as well as of all other animals. PIGS.—“The Committee ascertained that it is the usual practice in _large establishments_ in England to stun pigs by a blow on the forehead previous to sticking them, and there is no difficulty in carrying this out, as the pig’s head is soft as compared with that of the sheep. The Committee are of opinion that the preliminary stunning should be enforced in all cases, the evidence tending to show that this operation is often limited to pigs which are so large or strong as to give trouble, or to cases where, owing to the location of the slaughter-house, the squeals of the stuck pigs cause annoyance to the neighbourhood. _The Committee feel that considerations of humanity are at least as important as those above mentioned._” A sentiment with which most of us will presumably agree. Note, however, that the Admiralty Committee refer above only to _large_ establishments. Pigs still appear to be killed in ways that the following quotation describes: