366 ANIMALS OF THE 



other animals are seen to do. The tusks of the 

 lower jaw are always the most to be dreaded, and 

 are found to give very terrible wounds. 



The wild boar can properly be called neither a 

 solitary nor a gregarious animal. The three first 

 years the whole litter follows the sow, and the 

 family lives in a herd together. They are then 

 called beasts of company, and unite their common 

 forces against the invasions of the wolf, or the 

 more formidable beasts of prey. Upon this their 

 principal safety while young depends ; for when 

 attacked they give each other mutual assistance, 

 calling to each other with a very loud and fierce 

 note : the strongest face the danger ; they form 

 a ring, and the weakest fall into the centre. In 

 this position few ravenous beasts dare venture to 

 attack them, but pursue the chase where there is 

 less resistance 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 himself. He does 

 not seek danger, and he does not 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 roebuck would be very improper, as they 



