TRAITS OF ANIMAL CHARACTER.

Evening Star, Issue 4039, 5 February 1876, Page 2 (Supplement)

TRAITS OF ANIMAL CHARACTER.

“Bos,” a writer on local matters in the ‘Wanganui Herald,’ tells the following anecdote as having occurred within his own observation:—“A curious instance of the danger of allowing any animal to know its own power might once have been seen here m the shape of a hand-reared foal, which became so quiet as to go into the house and play with the children, whom he found he could easily master, even bouncing them into giving him food, and driving tUem into the house against their will. This continued for a time, till at last my tour-legged fnend proved a positive nuisance, and even a dangerous one, should the men on the station happen to be away. He was, herefore enclosed in another paddock apart from the homestead; but his attachment to lus old home was so great that no fence was sufficient to keep him away from the scenes ot his foal-hood. It chanced one day that everyone was going out on a cattle mustering expedition, and a brother-in-law of 74. ? el , vie * knowing the antipathy the colt had to him in particular, rather reluctantly went to turn the animal out of the paddock previous to their departure for the day. But this was easier said than done, for he was quickly knocked down by the animal, who, mad with infuriate rage at being disturbed, stamped upon him, kicked him, and used such other acts of violence as would quickly have destroyed life had an eye-witness not seized the nearest weapon at hand namely, a hay-fork, and rushed to the rescue of “ lm w ko lay on the ground almost i a( *V The exasperated animal now launched his whole weight on the new comer, got severely wounded by the two pronged bayonet in the mouth, chest, a . llc , and so the combat continued single-handed till a third combatant arrived a gun, the contents of which were lodged in the head of the dangerous brute, which immediately bit the dust, and thus ended the life of this gentle foal, this nursery pet, and child’s companion. Up to the tune of this sudden attack nothing particular had been noticed about the colt but a strong determined self-will which nothing but bounce and a good stockwhip would subjugate, and how the usual methods seemed to be so utterly useless on this occasionis inexplicable.”