The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-09-12
HOW ANIMALS CHARGE.
Bome OF the Various Ways in which The
Attack Their Victims.


soms Of the various ways In which Thsy
Attack Their Victims.
We are in the habit of seeing in books
OF travel and sport very startling illus
trations OF the attitudes wild animals
assume when charging their human ag-
gressors- attitudes which, in the main
and most essential point, are most in
correct For instance, the tiger has the
credit of smashing in his victims skull
with o sledge-hammer-like blow OF his
fore-paw. The elephant is generally de-
picted coming down like a locomotive,
with his proboscis extended to its full
length; the bison and buffalo charging
from distance of many yards. with
their heads and horns lowered; and our
ursine friends standing upon their hind
legs, always exposing the fnBai white
horseshoe on their hearts most convcn-
iently. ! should be glad, therefore, TO
hear the opinions of some OF your cor
respondents. who have shot these larger
fer0 RdfsiyG and been charged by them,
regarding their attitude when assuming
the offensive, for my own experience Is
50 totally st variance with the precon-
ceived notions of artists that l think
the matter may not be unworthy of pub
lie discussion through the medium OF
your columns.
To begin with the .fsli9d. am glad
20 say that In the few instances in
which / have stood charge my antago-
mist never got home; but relative Oh
mine, who was very badly wounded by
tiger. and several friends who have
not only been in the mouths OF tigers,
but of lions, all tell me that the animal,
TO nse. perhaps, homely form of ex-
preston, 'scame roust bank mp against
them" The description Ia perhaps more
expressive than refined in language,
but thinks conveys the idea of an ami
NAL .'hurtlingr up against you. In
seizing their prey, tigers, and believe
lions, though with the latter have had
no experience. almost invariably go for
the throat, though In one or two In
stances that have come under my notice
OF animals killed by tigers they have
evidently been first ham-strung; these
probably. were the work OF young and
inexperienced tigers. I once saw a man
charged and knocked over by panther.
and be only saved his throat by putting
up his arm, which, as we'll as his shouI-
der. the animal grasped with teeth and
claws. The relative to whom alluded
was seized in n similar manner, and
three friends OF mine who have been
mauled by tigers, one and By lion, all
described the animal knocking them over
by sheer force OF weight before seizing
them. / think, therefore, the being
knocked over by paw stroke Is . fall
lacy.
Any one who knows any thing about
elephants must be aware that their
trunks, and particularly the tip OF the
trunk, Is the most delicate and sensitive
part of the animal, and that he shields
1t from injury by every possible means
In his power. 1t Is. therefore, very un-
likely he would expose It in tine act OF
charging. My experience, limited
though 1t be, points TO the fact that an
/ elephant once he has made up his mind
to charge, curls up his trunk tight
Before charging, and in order 70 get
wind of his adversary. he may indeed
extend 1t. but once the presence of the
/ foe 70 be attacked Is detected the pro
boscis is put out of the way of possible
/ harm.
Bison-I am talking of the Indian
animal, Bos gdurHs buffaloes,
when they charge, invariably poke their
noses up in the air and commence by
running at you with their heads well
mp, much in the manner of domestic
cattle, and only lower their horns when
within 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 he put his head down
say even forty yards away, he could not
possibly see where he was going.
Bears, when wounded, will, indeed,
often get up on their binds legs and
dance about from sheer rage, and will
also at times do SO in order to get bet
| ter view of the whereabouts of their
enemy; but when they charge, whether
It be at man mounted or on foot they
Invariably charge on all fours.
In charging most animals give vent tc
certain vocal sounds-grunts or roars-
| and this, it is natural to suppose, is
done with view to terrifying and de-
moralizing the object they are attacking
in fact, more often than not it is mere
bounce on the animals part. / have
often seen tigers roar when charging
who never really meant mischief, and
who, when met by bold front, turned
of. No doubt in the case of attacking
their fellow animals, establishing a
''lunk" and so decentralization, these
roars may prove an aid in bringing their
| victim within their grasp; but, as rule,
| when engaged in pursuit of prey the
felide depend principally on their powers
of stealthy approach, and only roar al
the last moment before seizing, with q
1 view of paralyzing morally their in.
tended victim.-Land and Water.