Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-14
WILD BOAR GL|MPSES
Difficulty in Finding PigIets in
the Nest.
ARE INTERESTING SUBJECTS
Strict Attention Given by Sow to Atv
tacks on Babies.
SAVAGE, THREATENING ROAR
Thrilling Sight on Western Slope of
Croydon Mountain-Tragedy
for Woodland Mothers.
ARE INTERESTING SUBJECTS
SAVAGE, THREATENING ROAR
Written for The Star.

written Tor The star.
The greatest disappointment l suffered
last spring was due to the fact that In spite
OF my best eHdeavors I utterly failed to
secure litter OF young wild boar 20
study. Night after night | watched the
old boars as they went about their usual
occupations. and day after day. often IN
company with my brother, hunted through
what seemed to me the most likely section
OF the Blue Mountain Forest, but never a
little pig could l find Wild bears nests |
found by dozens In all sorts of places and
In ell sorts of conditions of newness and
old age. Some had been occupied: others
apparently were about 10 be occupled-but
actually occupied at the time OF my visit
not one. used Up all the time could
spare for this purpose. and a few DAYS
more. and then 1 was obliged to give It
up. at least for the present
had wanted to get these little wild
pigs Tor two reasons-drst, because 1 knew
that they would prove interesting subjects
IN themselves. and next, because / had
heard much concerning the strict attention
given by the wild SOW to any one who hap
pened to have one of her babies In his pos
session. On one occasion a guide had been
hiding in the loft OF a deserted barn
watching for some Doachers who were ex-
pected that way. when he saw an old SOW
come out of the forest. with several pigs
In her wake. He waited until she came
within hundred yards OF the barn and
then, thinking II would be good fun o.
catch one of the youngsters, dropped from
the hay NOW and ran after the pigs as
fast as he could. He saw the old sow dis
appear into the woods, but not believing that
the little ones could have made such good
time, he searched the long grass diligently
and at last found the infants hiding SO
carefully that It was with difficulty that he
could see them, even when standing close
by.
Picked Them Up.
With the greatest confidence he picked
them both up put one under each arm and
started for the barn again. But he had
reckoned without his host for hardly had
he laid his hands upon them than the little
pigs started to squeal at the top OF their
lungs. and a distant rolling grunt an
nounced that mamma was coming" The
guide turned and saw a black projectIle
whistllng through the long grass. He was
not far from the barn now and huggiug
the tiny porkers a bit tighter. he ran for
his life. Another glance behind showed
him that the mother pig was rapidly clos
Ing the gap between them. but he was
figuring that he could just about win the
race. when he remembered that he had
left the barn by dropping from the loft
and that the door was bolted on the inside
He must give up his prize or fight the SOW.
and he made UP his mind quickly; he
dropped the piglets and lodged around the
side of the barn Just as fast as he could
dig his toes into the ground. The old boar
reached the corner of the building only
a p.oment later, and with head and tail
erect, she paused as though undecided
whether to follow him or not Then. seeing
that her youngsters were safe she simply
sent savage, threatening roar after the
retreating figure and turning toward her
pigs, led them quickly away into the woods.
To Complete a Group.
Again last spring. when one OF the guides
was commissioned to collect a young boar
to complete a group for one of the
museums, a similar incident occurred. Tho
first bullet failed to kill the pig, but wound
ed 1t so that 1t could not travel nearly so
fast its companions. The latter disap-
peared and the guide chased and overlook
his quarry. But the youngster sauealed
and the mother came rushing to the rescue
50 fast that the man gladly dropped his
burden and fed. trusting to his skill with
the rifle to get the wounded animal later,
which he did.
One morning about two weeks ago
looked from my study window out over a
western slope of Croydon mountain. and
saw thrilling sight. From a bit of densa
spruce woodland, about half q mile from
my house, a huge wild boar rushed cut
into the open, carrying In its mouth some
large white object, which 1t seemed to be
shaking as dog Will shake a woodchuck.
ran out onto the piazza. IN order to see
the better, and then l heard the agonizing
bleating of a fawn. At the same moment
a big Virginia doe came bounding from the
woodland and In the direction of the boar.
stopping only when within a few feet OF
the wild pig, which she presently passed
and repassed In the greatest excitement
1t was easy to see what had happened
even at that distance. The boar had seized
a fawn and run off with IL, and the white
object l had seen was the snowy under
parts of the little creature 1 started for
the scene of the tragedy a run, though
1 had small hopes Of effecting rescue.
Both the boar and the mother deer were so
occupied, the one with Its victim and tho
other with the loss of its fawn, that / was
able to get quite close before either of them
saw me. The boar had left the young
deer and had retired to little distance
and the doe was galloping this way and
that, as though distracted. She saw ne
before the boar did. paused. snorted two
or three times. and then leaped away TO
the cover of the woodland The boar acted
on her signal. but much more slowly.
Concerning the Retreat.
understood the reason for this when L
saw several little pigs headed toward the
old one and realized that the latter was
q SOW. If she was afraid of me she did
not show It, and several times. as I con-
tinued to advance. she faced about. growl-
ing savagely, and covering the retreat OF
her pigs. found the little fawn, lying limp
and dead, Its tender body having been
crushed by the powerful jaws of the wild
pig. To make the best OF bad job II was
sent to q museum of natural history, where
it Is to be mounted later.
In the many years that wild boars have
inhabited this forest, never before has one
of them been known to kill another ami
NAL although Ii is well known that they
will eat flesh. particularly when other food
is scarce. / am inclined to think that they
do not make practice of preying on
fawns and other helpless creatures, but
that this was probably an isolated case.
The fact that the SOW had left the freshly
killed fawn before my presence was known
fnclines me to the belief that the young
deer was not killed for food What most
likely happened was this: The sow. with her
pigs beside her. came by chance upon the
fawn which was probably lying down in
some shady spot. Naturally. II would jump
to It's feet at sight of so frightful an APP
partition as a Wild boar. and the latter
startled and supposing her pigs to be in Inn
minent danger, rushed upon the supposed
enemy and killed it. Then. having accom-
piished her object she walked away. not
caring to devour her victim since there
was at that time of year abundance Of
other food which was more to her taste
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES