280 



ANIMALS OF 



ance, calling to each other with a very loud 

 and fierce note ; the strongest face the dan- 

 ger; they form a ring, and the weakest fall 

 into the centre. In this position few raven- 

 ous beasts dare venture to attack them, but 

 pursue the chase where there is less resist- 

 ance and danger. However, when the wild 

 boar is come to a state of maturity, and when 

 conscious of his own superior strength, he 

 then walks the forest alone and fearless. At 

 that time he dreads no single creature, nor 

 does he turn out of his way even for man him- 

 self. He does not seek danger, and he does 

 riot much seem to avoid it. 



This animal is therefore seldom attacked, 

 but at a disadvantage, either by numbers, or 

 when found sleeping by moon-light. The 

 hunting the wild boar is one of the principal 

 amusements of the nobility in those countries 

 where it is to be found. The dogs provided 

 for this sport are of the slow heavy kind. 

 Those used for hunting the stag, or the roe- 

 buck, would be very improper, as they would 

 too soon come up with their prey ; and, in- 

 stead of a chase, would only furnish out an 

 engagement. A small mastiff is therefore cho- 

 sen ; nor are the hunters much mindful of the 

 goodness of their nose, as the wild boar leaves 

 so strong a scent, that it is impossible for 

 them to mistake its course. They never hunt 

 any but the largest and the oldest, which are 

 known by their tracks. When the boar is 

 reared, as is the expression for driving him 

 from his covert, he goes slowly and uniformly 

 forward, not much afraid, nor very far before 

 his pursuers. At the end of every half mile, 

 or thereabouts, he turns round, stops till the 

 hounds come up, and offers to attack them. 

 These, on the other hand, knowing their dan- 

 ger, keep off, and bay him at a distance. Af- 

 ter they have for a while gazed upon each 

 other with mutual animosity, the boar again 

 slowly goes on his course, and the dogs re- 

 new their pursuit. In this manner the charge 

 is sustained, and the chase continues till tlie 

 boar is quite tired, and refuses to go any far- 

 ther. The dogs then attempt to close in upon 

 him from behind; those which are young, 

 fierce, and unaccustomed 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 strike at him with 

 their spears, and, after several blows, despatch 

 or disable him. The instant the animal is 

 killed, they cut off the testicles, which would 

 otherwise give a taint to the flesh; and the 

 huntsmen celebrate the victory with their 

 horns. 



THE HOG, 



IN a natural state, is found to feed chiefly 

 upon roots and vegetables; it seldom attacks 

 any other animal,being content with such pro- 

 visions as it procures without danger. What- 

 ever animal happens to die in the forest, or 

 is so wounded that it can make no resistance, 

 becomes a prey to the hog, who seldom re- 

 fuses animal food, how putrid soever,although 

 it is never at the pains of taking or procuring 

 it alive. For this reason, it seems a glutton 

 rather by accident than choice, content with 

 vegetable food, and only devouring flesh when 

 pressed by necessity, and when it happens to 

 offer. Indeed, if we behold the hog in its do- 

 mestic state, it is the most sordid and brutal 

 animal in nature." The awkwardness of its 

 form seems to influence its appetites : and all 

 its sensations are as gross as its shapes are 

 unsightly. It seems possessed only of an in- 

 satiable desire of eating; and it seems to 

 make choice only of what other animals find 

 the most offensive. But we ought to consider 

 that the hog with us is in an unnatural state, 

 and that it is in a manner compelled to feed 

 in this filthy manner from wanting that pro- 

 per nourishment which it finds in the forest. 

 When in a state of wildness, it is of all other 

 quadrupeds the most delicate in the choice 

 of what vegetable it shall feed on, and rejects 

 a greater number than any of the rest. The 

 cow, for instance, as we are assured by Lin- 

 naeus, eats two hundred and seventy-six plants, 

 and rejects two hundred and eighteen; the 

 goat eats four hundred and forty-nine, and re- 

 jects a hundred and twenty-six; the sheep 

 eats three hundred and eighty-seven, and re- 

 jects a hundred and forty-one; the horse 

 eats two hundred and sixty-two, and rejects 

 two hundred and twelve ; but the hog, more 



a Buffon, vol. ix. p. 14. 



