Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1916-01-21

They Post sentries at Night and When
Feeding and Have Front and Rear
Guards When on the Mareh--A Wild
HORSE Company In Battle Array.
In these days OF general interest In
things military it is interesting To
know that ccg.ain animals are gov.
erned by whit appear to be almost
military regulations. Among animals
only the gregarious. Of course show
qualities Of leadership and discipline.
wild horses obey their leader more
implicitly th.m any soldiers. however
well disciplined. Mustangs are wary
difficult to approach and almost i'm
possible to capture, owing TO the devO
ton with which they follow their lead
er and to code of signals that they
never disregard.
A short. shrill neigh is command to
dee; long drawn. far carrying neigh
Is the rallying call when the herd is
scattered: a squeal orders the stations
to stand ready to fight on dangerous
beasts, and wild snort indicates the
sight or scent OF man. The snort Of "a
mustang can he heard half mile or
more.
Certain movements are also impor.
tant as signals. At the first hint Of
danger the horse that detects It throws
his head and tail high in the air. stands
motionless and gazes fxedly in the di
rection from which he anticipates trou
IA I1.-t hnA 4u, oh 10 he
entire herd on the alert Should the
enemy prove to be bears. wolves or
any foe against which the drove car
defend itself the "signal horse" dashes
forward. prancIng from side TO side
rearing and striking the ground. Should
their most dreaded enemy. man. he ap
preaching the horse will circle far in
toward the main body. and as be turns
for one last look he will snort out
trumpet-like blast Then with q rush
roar and clatter Of hoofs the entire
herd is gone-the leader in front the
stations In the rear. the colts in the
middle.
Even old, well trained work horses
when turned out to pasture will gener
ally select leader and be governed by
him. The herd commander may be an
old and gentle mare or the widest and
wariest horse Of the drove. In the lat
Ter case the herd often becomes almost
IS difficult to handle as so many wild
horses. whereas the old mare will keep
her drove In the most tractable condi-
ton
The peccaries of Mexico have a bat.
tie cry that is never disobeyed--a short.
vicious squeal. quickly repeated and
kept up without ceasing That noise
drives the little beasts frantic. all with
in hearing rush to get into the fray.
and nothing short of death stops their
charge. II the hunter does not shoot
his peccary SO dead that II cannot emit
a single dying squeal his only safety
lies in instant fight.
The peccary has also a note that
sounds the retreat 1t is grunt some
thing like the "Woof, wool. w0ofl" OF
bear as he dashes away from danger
An American guide who lives in So
nora, in Mexico. can initiate that mote
and says that he can stampede a gaus
Of the brutes at will with 1t.
The balloons of Africa probabl,
have the best military regulations o.
any Of the animals. While they ar,
feeding in a dangerous place they Sc
sentries on every side-big. wise. vet
eran balloons that sit perfectly quie
and keep a yigilant watch. At sharI
bark of warning from one Of thes,
asses his occu
heir erie: