The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-22
HOW WILD ANIMALS CHARGE.
some OF the Ways In which They Attach
Their Victims.

Some Of the Ways In which They Attack
Their Victims.
We are in the habit of seeing i'm books
of travel and sport very startling illustra-
IONS of the attitudes wild animals assume
when charging their human aggressors-
attitudes which in the main and most
essential point, are most incorrect, says
a letter in Lane and Water. For instance
the tiger has the credit of smashing in his
victims skull with a sledge-hammer-like
blow of his fore-paw. The elephant is
generally depicted coming down like a
locomotive with his probosis extended to
its full length; the bison and buffalo
charging from a distance of many yards,
with their heads and horns lowered, and
our ursine friends standing up On their
hin legs, always exposing the fatal white
horseshoe on their hearts most con-
veniently. | should be glad, therefore, to
ear the opinions of some of your corre-
spondents. who have shot these larger
ferae naturae and been charged by them,
regarding their attitude when assuming
the offensive, for my own experience is
so totally at variance with the precon-
ceived notions of artists that / think the
matter may not be unworthy of public dis
cussion through the medium of your col
umns.
To begin with the felidae. ! am glad to
say that in the few instances i'm which |
nave stood n charge my antagonist never
got home; but a relative of mine, who was
very badly wounded by a tiger, and several
friends, who nave not only been in the
mouths of tigers, but of lions, all tell me
homely form Of expression, ''came
The description Is perhaps more ex-
pressive than refined i'm language, but /
think conveys the idea of an animal
'.hurtling" mp against you. In seizing
"A =. ..... ..-.. aal I L.a.,a l.-.a
though with the latter | have had no ex-
perience, almost ::invariablg go for the
throat. though i'm one or two instances
that nave come under my notice of ami
killed by tigers they have evidently been
first ham-strung; these, probably, were
the work of young u inexperienced
tigers. | once saw a man charged and
knocked over 10y a panther, and he only
saved his throat by putting up his arm,
which, as well as his shoulder, the ANNA
grasped with teeth and claws. The rela-
tive Ia whom 1 alluded was seized i'm a
similar manner and three friends of mine
who have been mauled by tigers. n n
by a lion, all describe the animal knock
ing them over by sheer force of weight be-
fore seizing them. think, therefore. the
being knocked over by a paw stroke is a
fallacy.
Any one who knows anything about ele-
plants must be aware that their trunks,
and particularly the tip of the trunk, is
the most delicate u sensitive part of
the animal, and that he shields il from in
jury by every possible means in his power.
Ii is, therefore, very unlikely that he
would expose IL in the act of charging.
My experience, limited though it be,
points to the act that an elephant. once
he made up his mind to charge, curls up
his trunk tight. Before charging, and in
order to get wind OF his adversary, he
may indeed extend IL, but once the pres
ence of q foe to be attacked is detected
the proboscis is put out OF the way of pos
sible harm.
Bison-I am talking of the Indian ami
NAL, hos gaurus-and buffalos, when they
charge, invariably poke their noses up i'm
the air and commence by running at you
with their heads well up. much in the
of domestic cattle, n only lower
their horns when within "A few yards of
the object OF their attentions. This ! take
To be "a mere matter of common sense on
the part of the animal. for, IL lac put his
head down say even forty yards away. he
could not possibly see where he was go-
Bears. when wounded, will indeed often
get mp on their hind legs and dance about
from sheer rage. and will also at times do
so i'm order to get "a better view OF the
whereabouts of their enemy; but when
they charge, whether II he at a man
mounted or on foot, they invariably charge
ON all fours.
In charging most animals give vent to
certain vocal sounds-grunts or roars. and
this. Il is natural to suppose. is done with
n view to terrifying and demoralizing the
object they are attacking; in fact, more
often thar not, II Is mere bounce ON the
animals part. l have often seen tigers
roar when charging who never really
meant mischief, and who. hen met by a
bold front, turned of. No doubt in the
case of attacking their fellow-animals, es-
tablishing a funk" n so demoraliza-
ton. these roars may prove an aid I'm
bringing their victim within their grasp:
but, as a rule. when engaged In pursuit of
prey the felidse depend principally on
their powers of stealthy approach. and
only roar at the last m before seiz-
ing, with a view To p~aralyzing morally
their intended victim.