WILD PIGS 55 



this phenomenon is now and then, though very rarely, 

 observed in new-born warthogs. 



The habit of holding the tail erect, when on the run, 

 is common to the young from birth, as well as to the 

 older animals. There has been some discussion as to the 

 position of the little tail tuft. Millais in his charming 

 " Breath from the Veld," insists that it is pendent in 

 a forward direction. Having taken some trouble to 

 observe what actually occurs, the writer can confidently 

 state that the tuft actually wobbles about like a flag, 

 sometimes fore and sometimes aft, but when the animal 

 is stationary with vertical tail previous to departure, the 

 tuft is often nearly or quite perpendicular. Warthogs 

 often lie up during the day in holes or in thick bush ; 

 in cool weather, however, they may be seen on the move 

 at any hour. They are very fond of occupying the holes 

 of ant-bears and porcupines, into which they retire back- 

 wards, so that care should be taken in approaching a 

 recess believed to contain one of these animals. 



Though by no means of savage disposition, the warthog 

 possesses much of the courage of his family, and fights 

 bravely when cornered. Lions and leopards when at- 

 tacking them are believed to try always to seize them 

 from behind, to avoid the swing of the tushes. Natives 

 say that a leopard does not care about attacking an old 

 boar. Dogs, to most of which the sight of a warthog is 

 as a red rag to a bull, often suffer severely when it has been 

 brought to bay, and, in the Game Reserve, some of our 

 animals have been terribly cut about at different times. 

 I remember once on the Upper Nile suddenly disturbing 

 a female with four young ones, three of which " crouched " 

 instead of running away, and I was much struck by the 

 gallant way in which the sow, finding most of her family 

 missing, turned and came back in my direction, to pause 



