Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-11-06
HOW WILD ANIMALS CHARGE.
Some of the Various Ways in Which They
Attack their Victims.


Attack their Victims.
We are in the habit of seeing in books
of travel and sport very startling illus
trations of the attitudes wild ami
mails assume when charging their hui
man aggressors- attitudes which, in
the main and most essential point, are
most incorrect. For instance, the
tiger has the credit of smashing in his
victims skull with sledge-hammer-
like blowof his fore-paw. The elephant
is generally depicted coming down like
a locomotive with his proboscis extend
ed to its full length; the bison and buff
falo charging from a distance of many
yards. with their heads and horns low
cred; and our ursine friends standing
up on their hind legs. always exposing
the fatal white horseshoe on their
hearts most conveniently. / should be
glad, therefore, to hear the opinions of
some OF our correspondents, who have
shot these large terae nature and be-
ing charged by them, regarding their
attitude when assuming the offensive,
for my own experience is so totally at
variance with the preconceived notions
of artists that | think the matter may
not be unworthy Of public discussion
through the medium of your columns.
To begin with the teIidg. l am glad
to say that in the few instances in
which | have stood charge my an
tagonist never got home; but relative
of mine, who was very badly wound
ed 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 use, perhaps, homely form
of expression. 'came roust bang up
against Them" The description is
perhaps more expressive than refined
in language but | think conveys the
idea of animal "hurtling" up against
you. In selling their prey, tigers, and
| believe lions, though with the latter
/ have had no experience, almost in
variably 60 for the throat, though in
one or two instances that have come
under my notice of animals killed by
tigers they have evidently been first
hamstrung: these, probably, were the
work of young and inexperienced
tigers. | once saw man charged and
knocked over by a panther, and ne
only saved his throat by putting up his
arm, which, as we'll as his shoulder,
the animal grasped with teeth and
claws. The relative to whom [ alluded
was seized in similar manner, and
three friends of mine who have been
mauled by tigers, and one by lion
all describe the animal knocking them
over by sheer force of weight before
Selling them. | think, therefore, the
being knocked over by a paw stroke is
a fallacy.
Any one who knows anything about
elephants must be aware that their
trunks. and particularly the tip of the
trunk, is the most delicate and sensi-
tive part of the ANIMAL and that he
shields it from injury by every possible
means in his power. 1t is therefore
very unlikely that he would expose it
in the act of charging. My expert
ence. limited though it be, points to
the fact that an elephant, once he has
made up his mind to charge, curles up
his trunk tight. Before charging and
in order to get wind of his adversary,
he may indeed extend it, but once the
presence of foe to be attacked is de-
tected the probosciS is put out of the
way of possible harm.
Bison-I am thinking of the Indian
animal, B0s gG@rus-and buffaloes,
when they charge, invariably poke
their nose up in the air and commence
by running at you with their heads
well up, much in the manner of do
nestle cattle, and only lower their
horns when within few yards of OBJ
ject of their attentions, This | take
to be a mere matter of common sense
on the part of the animal, for, if he
puts 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 hind legs and
dance about from sheer rage, and will
also at times do so in order to get a
better 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
to certain vocal sounds-grunts or
roars-and this it is natural to sup
pose, is done with a view to terri
flying and demorlizing 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 a
bold front, turned off. No doubt in
the case of attacking their fellow an
imals, establishin@a funk and so de-
moralization, these roars may prove
an aid in bringing their victim within
their grasp; but, as a rule, when en-
gagged in pursuit of prey the .felld@ de-
pene principally on their powers of
stealthy approach, and only roar at
the last moment before Selling. with a
view to paralyzing morally their in
tended victim.-Ld7ad and Water.
THE FLIRT.
A Story nF Cot in