THE WILD BOAR. 33 



the birds as they alight on the hedges or places near him. 

 He rarely lies exposed, but chooses the cover of some thick 

 brake, where he is secure from being disturbed. 



The cunning of the Fox in surprising and securing its 

 prey is equally remarkable. When it has acquired more 

 than it c^n devour, its first care is to secure what it has 

 killed, which is generally all within its reach. It digs holes 

 in different places where it conceals its booty by carefully 

 covering it over with earth. If a flock of poultry have 

 unfortunately fallen victims to its stratagems, it will bring 

 them, one by one, to these hiding places, where it leaves 

 them till hunger demands a fresh supply. 



This animal sleeps much during the day ; for the night 

 is the season of its active depredations. The female pro- 

 duces, once a year, from three to six young ones at a time, 

 which grow eighteen months or two years, and live thir- 

 teen or fourteen years. They are frequently taken in 

 traps ; but great caution must be used to deceive these 

 wily animals. 



The chase of the Fox is a very favorite diversion in this 

 kingdom, and is no where pursued with such ardour and 

 intrepidity. The instant the Fox finds he is pursued, he 

 flies towards his hole ; and finding it stopped, (which is 

 always carefully done before the chase begins) he has 

 recourse to his speed and his cunning for safety. He does 

 not double and measure his ground back like the hare, but 

 continues his course straight forward with great strength 

 and perseverance. A.S the scent of the Fox is very strong, 

 the dogs follow with great alacrity ; and it is hard to say, 

 whether the eagerness of the hounds, the ardour of the 

 horses, or the enthusiasm of the hunters, is most to be ad- 

 mired. When all his shifts have failed him, and he is at 

 last overtaken, he then defends himself with obstinacy, 

 and fights in a kind of sullen silence till he is torn in pieces 

 by the dogs. 



THE WILD BOAR, 



which may be considered as the parent stock of our 

 domestic swine, is by no means the filthy degraded crea- 

 ture that constantly falls under our view. He is much 

 smaller than the tame hog, but at the same time stronger 

 and undaunted. In his own defence, he will turn on men 



