20 FOREST CREATUEES. 



He bangs her sides and gives many a dig in her flanks ; 

 a procedure, however, which does not seem much to her 

 taste. 



The period of gestation is eighteen or twenty weeks; 

 and on a well -prepared bed of leaves, moss, and the 

 needles of the pine and fir, a litter of eleven or twelve 

 yellow-striped, greyish-red porkers are brought forth, 

 This rather droll appearance they soon lose: their 

 colour becomes more uniform, and the little round 

 bodies less smooth. They stay at home for several days 

 after birth, during which time their mother seldom 

 leaves them. Of her bravery and devotion notice has 

 already been taken. In the second year the tusks of 

 the males are to be seen, and in the third they are 

 already conspicuous, white as ivory. 



The wild-boar, like other forest creatures living on 

 simple food that neither heats the blood nor creates 

 vicious humours, will often recover in a surprising 

 manner from the effects of wounds, or the loss even of 

 a limb. And they not only live on in perfect health after 

 such rough amputation, but regain their portly size, 

 and, unless too severely maimed, rove about ^^dth their 

 fellows as before. Being social and always found in 

 troops — the old boars excepted — opportunity is af- 

 forded for observing them when together, and for seeing 

 how they observe the amenities of social life towards 

 each other. In such a boar-family there will often be 



