Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-16
ON HAND TWICE A DAY
OBSERVATIONS OF PIG FAMILY
ON TWIN HILL FARM.


given the freedom of large tract of
woods. they were accustomed to be on
hand twice day at their troughs. near
where the cows We're MIXED.
A large ''old one" was missed from the
gathering at the troughs about the middle
of August. and it was thought she had
hidden a family of little pigs somewhere
in the woods.
Edna. on her way to get the cows one
evening, was accosted by the old pig in
manner which seemed to say:
You may deliver my meals right here
now, so l can eat near my family"
Now that Edna had found out the Sc
cret she lost no time in spreading the
news to other members of the family. VITO
were interested to know where the old pig
had located that they might feed her.
1t was not long before l went to the
spot directed by Edna, for 1 fear | should
have searched a hong while before finding
the nest myself.
Down by the side of the great wooded
hil near a little brook which wound rs
way amid great, firm banks and moscow
cred rocks, and by some large trees, sur
rounded by clumps of thick, strong brush,
We found Mrs. Pig grunting a welcome 10
the little girl who was bringing her supper
The nest, which was about six feet long,
q yard wide and almost as high, when
fully occupied, was composed of a peJ
of dried leaves, with a goodly amount II
brush gathered over it.
Some of this brush fully three-quar-
ters of an inch thick and the wonder was
that the ''old pig could have gathered
it. placing it so cunningly in such a locd-
ton as to escare detection.
She must have had some pretty good eX-
ercise at "grubbing'' to have cut off suca
thick brush and she showed her wis
dom in building her nest on an elevation
conveniently near the brook.
The Wee Ones Appear.
When the ''old pig was eating her sup
per of milk, bran and apples, the little
fellows began to appear one at time,
until nine in all had emerged from the
crude opening at one end of the nest My.
what sleek, little black fellows they were
not over seven inches long, but SO very
active. w.
/ made a dive for one and caught him,
but he was unused to such treatment, and
set up tune in such high key, from
the moment ! touched him until l placed
him on the ground again. that L gave aim
his liberty very quickly.
The other members of the band sat
tered Immediately into the surrounding
brush, and the 'old pig left her soup to
see that no one really harmed her family
We were afraid the little fellows might
get lost in the woods, so Edna, Mrs. M
who had arrived. on the scene, and L went
skirmishing after them.
On climbing nearby fence I presently
discovered one member of the family max
ing his way direct for the nest, and be-
fore long we found all had arrived there
by various routes.
There was no losing them. They were as
much a. home in that place as if they ha d
been there month.
The next thing of interest was to see
how the mother was ever to get into her
nest again, seeing the roof had partially
collapsed, after the occupants were out OF
1t.
1 did not have to wait long, for soon
after finishing her supper she looked
around at us to see if we had anything
more for her, and finding We had not, she
thought it best to retire early.
She poked her snout into the small open
ing of her nest and kept jerking her head
up. Step by step she was gradually lost to
view and with her family cuddled close
to her all were ready for good nights
sleep.
The Pigs at Play.
The next afternoon 1 visited pigdom again
and found Mrs. Pig stretched out in the
sunshine, giving her family their dinner.
I perehed on the rail fence some yards
away to await developments. 1 wanted TO
see how young pigs play, for the young of
about all quadrupeds play in some way.
After their dinner they settled down, al
in row. and all headed one way, for a
siesta, so l gave up the hope of seeing
any antics just then and withdrew, to re-
turn later in the afternoon, when my visit
was richly rewarded -
never saw such agility among any other
animals, except peccaries, which belong to
the same family.
These little pigs seemed to pair off and
went at each other in no listless way with
tooth and hoof. They would try to get
each other by the ear, then one would
stick his snout under the neck of his OPP
ponent and upset him with lightning deX
terity.
Over and over ne would roll, soon to get
up again quite ''winded.' He was all out
of breath and putting like a little steam
engine AT it again they both plunged,
either at the same or another partner who
was out of job One would shove another
backward with his snout under his .oppo-
nent's foreleg, or by an ear if he could
grab it, until one or the other would tum-
BILE over
Such lively tussling | never saw before or
since. Think of what a great amount of
exercise they were getting. If you have
ever tried a rough-and-tumble wrestling
match with sturdy opponent, you can
get mild idea of how these little pigs
were developing their bodies to stand the
strain of more mature life.
After they were all thoroughly tired out
they lay down close together, heads all
one way, and went TO sleep in the nest
which their mother had worked so hard to
prepare for their comfort.
HARRY B. BRADFORD.