1873.] V. Ball— Oh Children found living with Wolves. 129 



" We have had two such hoys here, hut I fancy you refer to the one 

 who was brought to us on March 5th, 1872. He was found hy Hindus, 

 who had gone hunting wolves in the neighbourhood of Mynpuri. Had 

 been burnt out of the den, and was brought here with the scars and wounds 

 still on him. In his habits he was a perfect wild animal in every point of 

 view. He drank like a dog, and liked a bone and raw meat better than 

 anything else. He would never remain with the other boys, but hide away 

 in .any dark corner. Clothes he never would wear, but tore them up into 

 fine shreds. He was only a few months among us as he got fever and gave 

 up eating. We kept him for a time by artificial means but eventually he 

 died. 



" The other boy found among wolves is about thirteen or fourteen years 

 old, and has been here almost sis. He has learnt to make sounds, speak he 

 cannot ; but he freely expresses his anger and joy ; work he will at times, 

 a little ; but he likes eating better. His civilisation has progressed so far 

 that he likes raw meat less, though he still will pick up bones and sharpen 

 his teeth on them. 



" Neither of the above are new cases however. At the Lucknow Mad- 

 house there was an elderly fellow only four years ago and may be alive now, 

 who had been dug out of a wolves' den by a European doctor, when, I forget, 

 but it must be a good number of jqwcs ago. 



" The facility with which they get along on four feet (hands and feet) is 

 surprising. Before they eat or taste any food they smell it, and when they 

 don't like the smell, they throw it away." 



Mr. Ball then quotes the well-known story (vide Ann. and Mag. Nat 

 Hist., 1851 p. 1G3) of the capture of one of these wolf -reared children on 

 the banks of the G-umpti, who was afterwards taken to Lucknow and who is 

 in all probability the " elderly fellow in the Lucknow Madhouse" referred 

 to in Mr. Erhardt's letter. 



The writer then draws attention to a remarkable feature in all the 

 stories, viz., that the wolves are invariably alleged to have communicated 

 much of their natural ferocity and notably untamable disposition to their 

 foster children, and attempts to account for their somewhat unwolf-like 

 treatment of them. 



The author, in conclusion, states that his object in putting forward 

 this account, is to bring about a thorough investigation of a subject which, 

 if these stories of wolf-reared children could be substantiated, must prove of 

 considerable physiological interest and importance. 



Mr. Blanford said he could not think the evidence adduced by any 

 means satisfactory, and he would he glad could any one endowed with some 

 amount of judicial scepticism, visit the Secundra Orphanage and ascertain 

 as far as possible on what kind of testimony, these accounts of wolf-children 



