THE EUROPEAN WILD BOAR 335 



overhauling him, he turns, with a savage grunt, and charges desperately. 

 Then is the time to hold one's lance steady and not try to prod at 

 him ; but, with all precautions, the shaft will often be snapped or the 

 spear wrenched from the rider's grasp, and the half-impaled Boar makes 

 good his charge at a second foe; and this goes on till the gallant 

 brute at length bites the dust. Horses often get cut, sometimes very 

 badly, in these encounters, but the riders are seldom hurt by the 

 Boar, as, if one happens to be thrown, there is generally some one else 

 handy to divert the beast's attention, since all ride close up in the 

 hope of getting "first spear." The chief danger lies in the very bad 

 ground over which the chase has often to be pursued. The Arab Horse 

 is found to be the safest mount, from his cleverness in getting over 

 dangerous places at a high speed, and in dodging the Boar's attack, 

 while his high courage makes him less afraid of the alarming brute 

 than other Horses. 



The Boar is mOre respected by his adversaries than any other 

 beast of chase ; as in the case of the Fox, he is not shot, except on 

 ground where riding after him is impossible, and, moreover, his female 

 relatives are allowed to go unscathed. Indian Wild Swine have- done 

 well in captivity in England, and bred for many years in the Royal 

 Park at Windsor. 



THE EUROPEAN WILD BOAR 



(Sus scrofa) 



In addition to his thicker coat, the European Boar has a less leggy 

 build than the Indian variety, and has the last grinder in the lower 

 jaw of smaller size and less complex structure, but the differences are 

 barely of specific importance. This Swine is the Wild Boar so well 

 known in literature ; it occupies the region west of India, ranging over 

 Europe generally and into North Africa: it inhabited Britain down to 

 the time of the Civil Wars. It is still an esteemed beast of chase on 

 the Continent, but is usually shot, not hunted ; and its flesh is much 



