THE WILD BOAR. 111 
Her leaping powers are extraordinary, over water 
or timber. On one occasion she cleared some palings 
three feet ten inches in height. As she had young 
only in the summer time, I suspect they breed but 
once a year in the wild state.” 
This confirms the statement of Turbervile to the 
effect that the Wild Boar produces only one litter 
in the year. 
It was formerly the custom on Christmas Day at 
Queen’s College, Oxford (whether still observed or 
not, we cannot say), to bring into hall a boar’s head 
BOAR IN EAST CHEAP. 
with great ceremony and song, as described by 
Aubrey in one of his MSS. preserved in the Ash- 
molean Museum. Tradition represents this usage of 
(Jueen’s as a commemoration of an act of valour per- 
formed by a student of that college, who, while walk- 
ing in the neighbouring forest of Shotover, and read- 
ing Aristotle, was suddenly attacked by a wild boar. 
The furious beast came open-mouthed upon the 
