BOA 
BOA 
young; it rarely vifits the champain country; flies 
iwifter than a blackbird, and llibfifts on the fame 
kind of food. 
Blue-Bird, Red-Bellied. This bird is a na- 
tive of Surinam. The bill is (lender, fharp-pointed, 
of a moderate length, and of a dark lead-colour; 
the head, neck, breaft, wings, tail, and the fuperior 
part of the back, are of a purplifli blue, partly very 
bright, and partly obfcure; but the fides of the 
head, the breaft, and the coverts of the wings, are 
the brighteft parts. The upper part of the neck, 
and the back, are of a dull dirty blue, with a flight 
tinge of green : from the inferior part of the bill, 
a little way dov/n the throat, it is of a dark blue, or 
dirty colour; the quills and tail-feathers are of 
a black or duflcy colour, the edges of the feathers 
being blue. The lower part of the back is of a 
light colour, v/ith a faint mixture of rofe; the co- 
vert-feathers of the tail are of a fine blue purple; 
the thighs, lower belly, and coverts under the tail, 
are of a dirty reddifh orange; and the legs, feet, 
and claws, are of a dark lead-colour. 
BLUE-CAP. A fpecies of fifli of the falmon 
kind, diftinguiflied by broad blue fpots on their 
heads, from whence they receive their name. They 
are fuppofed to breed on fome foreign coaft; but 
appear in our rivers at certain feafons, and particu- 
larly after a very violent north wind, v/hen they 
are generally found in flioals. 
BOA. An aquatic ferpent of prodigious mag- 
nitude, which follows after herds of oxen, and from 
that circumftance receives it's name. It lucks the 
teats of the cow; and, in the belly of one of thefe 
creatures, killed during the reign of the Emperor 
Claudius, a child is faid to have been found almoft 
entire. The bite of the Boa is faid to be attend- 
ed with immediate inflammation. 
In the Linnfean fyftcm. Boa is a genus of fer- 
pents, with abdominal and fubcaudal fcuta, and 
without a rattle. 
BOAR. The male of the hog kind. 
Boar, Wild. This animal, which is the origi- 
nal of all the varieties of the hog kind, is neither 
fo ftupid nor fo filthy as that which is commonly 
reduced to tamenefs. The body is much fmaller 
than that of the tame hog ; the fnout is longer, and 
the ears, which are black, are rounder and fhorter. 
The Wild Boar does not vary in it's colour like 
the domeftic kind, being always of an iron-grey, 
inclining to black. The feet and tail are entirely 
black; the tuflvs are larger than thofe of the com- 
mon hog, fome of them, as Buffbn aflferts, having 
been found almoft a foot long; thefe tuflcs grow 
both from the upper and under jaw, bending up- 
wards in a circular direction, and being exceeding- 
ly fliarp at the points. The whole litter of pigs 
follows the fow the three firft years; and the family 
live in one common herd, uniting their forces 
againft the wolf, or other beafts of prey : but no 
fooner is the Wild Boar arrived at a ftate of matu- 
rity, than it becomes confcious of it's own ftrength, 
and traverfes the foreft undaunted and alone; it has 
then no apprehenflons from any fingle enemy, dif- 
dains to fly even from man himfelf, nor ever dif- 
covers the fmalleft degree of fear. 
The "Wild Boar inhabits moft parts of Europe, 
except the Britifli Ifles and the countries north of the 
Baltic. It is found in Afia, from Syria to the borders 
of the Lake Baikal; and, in Africa, on the coaft 
of Barbary. But in the forefts of South America 
thefe animals roam in prodigious droves, and are 
extremely beneficial to that country, by clearing 
it of rattle-fnakes, which they devour Vv^ith fafety.- 
They fubfift chiefly on roots and vegetables; and 
being fatisfied with fuch provifions as can be pro- 
cured v/ithout danger, they feldom attack any other 
animals : but if any creature happens to die in 
the foreft, or is fo wounded as to be rendered 
incapable of making refiftance, it foon becomes 
the prey of the Wild Boar; for that creature never 
refufes animal food, however putrid, if it can be 
procured vv^ithout difficulty; and, barring accidents, 
it generally lives to the age of twenty-five or thirty 
years. The rutting-time of the female is in De- 
cember, and continues for about three weeks. 
The general places of reft of thefe animals arc 
among the thickeft buflies which they can find. 
In April and May they fleep more found dian dur- 
ing any odier months of the year, and are there- 
fore then caught in toils with more facility than 
at any other feafon. 
The Wild Boar, among huntfmen, has feveral 
names, according to its different ages: the firft 
year, it is called a pig of the faunder; the fecond, 
a hog; the third, a hog-fteer; and the fourth, a 
Boar. 
Elunting Wild Boars is a very favourite diver- 
fion among the nobility of thofe countries which 
they inhabit; and the beft feafon for this purpofe 
is between the months of September and Decem- 
ber. Eor this purpofe fmail maftiffs are gene- 
rally ufed ; the hunters being regardlefs of the 
acutcnefs of their fmell, as the Wild Boar leaves 
fo ftrong a icenr, that it is impoflTible for them to 
miftake his courfe. When the Boar is driven 
from his covert, he proceeds flowly and regularly, 
at a fmall diftance, before his piirfuers, without 
betraying any ftrong indications of fear. Once in 
about half a mile, he turns round, ftops till the 
hounds come up to him, and then offers them 
battle. The dogs, fenfible of their adverfary's 
ftrength, keep off, and bay him at a diftance. 
After gazing on each other for fome time, the 
Boar proceeds leifurely on it's courfe, and the dogs 
renew the purfuit. The chace is thus continued 
till the creature, being quite weary, refufes to pro- 
ceed. The dogs then attempt to clofe in upon 
it ; and thofe which are young, and unaccuftomed 
to the chace, being generally foremoft in the at- 
tack, are commonly killed. Tlie old experienced 
hounds v/ait till the hunters come up, who .ftrike 
at the Boar v/ith their fpears, and foon difpatch, 
or at leaft dilable it. Great caution, however, is 
neceffary in aiming tlieir blows; for this animal 
is extremely adroit at transfixing them on his 
fnout, or tuflcs; and, on being only partially 
wounded, attacks the huntfman in a very furious 
manner. The moft vulnerable parts of the ani- 
mal are either betv/een tlie eyes, or the iliOulders ; 
in both which places the wound, if driven home 
liifnciently, proves miortal. When the Boar makes 
at the hunter, his fafety confifts entirely in his cou- 
rage and addrefs; for, if he flies, he is inevitably 
overtaken, and deftroyed. If the beaft attacks 
him in a ftraight direftion, it is to be received at 
the point of the fpear ; but if it makes doubles 
and windings, it is to be watched very cautiouQy, 
for it will attempt to catcli the fpear in it's moudi, 
in which cafe nothina; can fave the combatant but 
another perfon's attacking the Boar behind. 
The modern way of Boar-hunting, is todifpatch 
the creature by contriving that ail the hunters 
ftrike at rlie fame inftant. But the ancient Roman 
n;ethod was for a perfon on foot, armed with a 
