Natural Histm-y of the Wulf. 211 



The following particulars concerning the habits of the Wolf have been 

 kindly noted for us by A. Dickson, Esq., of Kingston, who at one period of 

 his active life was as well known for his love of the chase, as he has since 

 become distinguished for his enthusiasm in the cause of Geology and Natural 

 History generally : — 



" The Canadian Wolf is a cruel, savage, cowardly animal, with such a 

 disposition that he will kill a whole flock of sheep merely for the sake of 

 gi'atifying his thirst for blood, when one or two would have been sufficient 

 for his wants. I have always found them the most cowardly of animals, — 

 when caught in a trap, or wounded by a gun, or when cornered up so that 

 they could not escape, I invariably killed them with a club or tomahawk, and 

 t never met with any resistance. It is true I have seen them show some 

 boldness if a number of them had run down a deer when I attempted to drive them 

 away, yet I have always seen them give way if a shot were fired amongst 

 tliem. They are frequently killed on the road when unable to get into the 

 deep soft snow from weakness. They sometimes so gorge themselves upon a 

 deer that they are helpless, and can be killed with an axe or club. The 

 w^olves are very destructive upon the deer, and Imnt them singly or in packs, 

 both in summer and winter. If water be near, the deer when hunted, makes 

 for it, as he has a better chance of escape from being able to swim faster and 

 with more ease than the wolf, as it generally loses some time before it strikes 

 the deer track, where he again takes to the land, as he almost invariably 

 swims either up or down the river instead or crossing direct ; indeed, he will 

 sometimes come on shore on the same side, thereby throwing the wolf off the 

 track ; and, if there happen to be weeds or brush about the bank, the deer 

 will often sink himself so that nothing but part of his head will be above 

 water. The wolf then has its chase for nothing, but in the winter season 

 when the deer goes upon the ice the wolf makes a short chase of it, as the 

 deer slips and falls down every bound he makes upon the glare ice. But if 

 the deer take to a rapid, suf&ciently deep to sweep the w^olf offhis feet, and 

 not so deep but that the deer can stand or walk, the chances then are that a 

 strong buck may kill the wolf by striking him with his fore hoofs. I have 

 lost several good dogs in the same manner. In these cases the deer shows 

 great tact in either striking his enemy, or leaping aside and allowing the 

 wolf to be swept past by the current. In winter when there is not a crust 

 sufficiently strong on the snow to carry the wolf, great numbers perish from 

 hunger ; if it were not for that, they would soon become so numerous that the 

 country would be overcome by them. 



'' Wolves are often shot, but the most successful way of destroying them 

 is by the trap or poison ; since strychnine has been used, a great many have 

 been destroyed in the settlements where they commit depredations. They 

 have been known to kill weak horned cattle two years old, when not pro- 

 tected by older cattle. They have also been known to kill yearling colts. 



" One day in travelling along a path, a fine Indian dog I had with roe 

 made a sudden dash to one side after some game, and 1 sat down to e^tsome- 

 Uihig, when all of a sudden my dog upset me, when I recovered my equilibrium 



