322 Wild Beasts 



instant . . . and stood on their defence. ... In a few 

 seconds the first bearcoot struck his prey ; one talon was 

 fixed on his back, the other on the upper part of his neck, 

 completely securing the head, while he tore out the liver 

 with his beak. The other eagle seized another wolf, and 

 shortly both were as lifeless as the animal they had 

 hunted." 



This explorer, however, so far departed from the rule in 

 such cases made and provided, that he did not imme- 

 diately generalize the character of all the wolves in Asia 

 from his observations of those two that permitted them- 

 selves to be killed by a pair of birds. On the contrary, 

 when a pack followed his party in Mongolia, he was pre- 

 pared to look upon it as a serious matter. They were in 

 camp, the weather was mild, game abounded, and it was a 

 beautiful night. " Before long we could hear their feet 

 beat upon the ground as they galloped towards us. In a 

 very short while the troop came up and gave a savage 

 howl. The men now placed some dry bushes on the fire 

 (which had been allowed to sink by the Kalmucks and 

 Kalkas, lest its light should attract robbers), and blew it 

 up into a bright flame which sent its red glare far beyond 

 us, disclosing the wolves, their ears and tails erect, and 

 their eyes flashing fire. At this instant I gave the signal, 

 and our volley was poured in with deadly effect, for the 

 horrible howling they set up showed what mischief had 

 been done. We did not move to collect our game — that 

 might be done in the morninii;. Our pieces were reloaded 

 as fast as possible, for the Kalmucks warned us that the 

 wolves would return. We could hear them snarling, 



