igo WATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

down the river again, showing out their heads, were eight or
ten immense fellows, which I think were all bulls; and about
one hundred yards below these in the middle of the stream
stood another herd of about eight or ten cows with calves
and two huge bulls. The sea-cows lay close together like
pigs; a favourite position was to rest their heads on their
comrade’s sterns and sides. The herds were attended by
an immense number of the invariable rhinoceros birds, which
on observing me did their best to spread alarm throughout
the hippopotami. I was resolved io select, if possible, a first-
rate old bull out of this vast herd, and I accordingly
delayed firing for nearly two hours, continually running up
and down behind the thick thorny cover, attentively studying
the heads. At length I determined to go close in and select
the best head out of the eight or ten bulls which lay below
the cows. I accordingly left the cover, and walked slowly
forward in full view of the whole herd to the water’s edge,
where I lay down on my belly and studied the heads of
these bulls. The cows on seeing me splashed into the water
and kept up a continual snorting and blowing till night set
in. After selecting for a few minutes I fired my first shot
at a splendid bull and sent the ball in a little behind the
eye. He was at once incapacitated, and kept plunging and
swimming round and round, wearing away down the pool,
until I finished him with two more shots.”

The Pig Pigs, hogs and peccaries form the next family

Family. with which we have to deal. The Wild Boar
which we may take first, is famous in classic history and
European legends, and is celebrated both by ancient and
modern poets. He is, or was common to Europe, Asia and
Africa, and whether in the hunt or the banquet has always
been highly esteemed. The boar hunt is an exciting chase,
having all the elements of danger necessary to give it zest.
Boars have been known to kill not only dogs, but horses
and men with their powerful ‘asks, turning and rending them

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