402 THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 



SWINE. 



THE WILD BOAR. 



This animal, which is the original of all the varieties 

 to be found in the hog species, is much smaller than 

 the domestic kind ; and does not, like them, vary in 

 colour, but is uniformly of a brindled grey, inclining 

 to black. His snout is considerably longer than that 

 of the tame hog, and his ears are short, round, and 

 black. Each jaw is also armed with formidable tusks, 

 with which he ploughs up the earth like a furrow, in 

 search of roots, &c. ; with these also he inflicts terrible 

 wounds on his enemies. 



The wild boar cannot properly be called either a 

 solitary or a gregarious animal. The three first years 

 the whole litter follow the sow, and the family live in 

 a herd together, and unite their common forces against 

 the invasions of the wolf, or the more formidable beasts 

 of prey. But when the wild boar is arrived at a state 

 of maturity, he walks th-e forest alone and fearless. At 

 that time he dreads no single creature, nor does he 



