The Wild Boar. 



121 



slowly goes on his course, and the dogs renew the pur- 

 suit. In this manner the charge is sustained, and the 

 chase continues, till the Boar is quite tired, and refuses to 

 go any further. The dogs then attempt to close in upon 

 him from behind ; those which are young, fierce, and un- 

 accustomed to the chase, are generally the foremost, and 

 often lose their lives by their ardour. Those which are 

 older, and better trained, are content to wait until the 

 hunters come up, who despatch him with their spears. 



In former times, the Wild Boar was a native of 

 Britain, as appears from the laws ot the Welsh prince, 

 Howell the Good, who permitted his grand huntsman to 

 chase that animal from the middle of November to the 

 beginning of December ; and in the reign of William 

 the Conqueror, those who were convicted of killing the 

 Wild Boars, in any of the royal forests, were punished 

 with the loss of their eyes. Our domestic pigs are 

 descended from the wild race ; but the tame Boar has 

 two tusks, smaller than those of the wild ones, and the 

 sow has none. ? 



