THE WILD BOAR 



THE WILD BOAR (Sus Indicus) 



This animal, perhaps the most courageous, 

 determined, and short-tempered of all the denizens 

 of the Indian jungle, is found throughout the latter 

 at all elevations from zero up to (according to 

 Jerdon) 12,000 feet. The largest boars stand some 

 36 inches or more in height, and their for- 

 midable and extremely sharp tushes, which often 

 attain the length of 9 inches, have (according to R. 

 Ward) been even obtained as large as 14! 

 inches. These, the animal can use with terrible 

 effect, as many a tiger has discovered to his cost 

 when he has ventured to try conclusions with an 

 old boar, whose wives and progeny form a very 

 favourite and succulent food of the jungle tyrant. 

 In these encounters, the tiger has often been 

 worsted, and even occasionally killed by his well- 

 armed and powerful antagonist. 



General Kinloch relates a terrible experience of 

 his own when out " pig-sticking," and his recovery 

 was little short of marvellous, since he was horribly 

 ripped, and covered with some fifty wounds from 

 the tusks of a boar which had upset his horse, 

 and then devoted his energies to the dismounted 

 officer. 



In parts of India, in which, from the nature of 

 the ground, spearing boars from horseback is prac- 

 ticable, the latter is the only way in which a 

 European will kill them. In fact, in such localities 



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