WOLF DAYS IN PENNSYLVANIA. 89 



practiced in Ireland in the eighteenth century, and in 

 France today, would be best suited to present-day 

 needs in the Keystone State. Years ago in England 

 the open season for hunting wolves was between De- 

 cember- 35 and March 25. It furnished ideal "Christ- 

 mas" sport. A wolf hunt in France is described as 

 follows : "An open spot i.s generally chosen at some 

 distance from the great coverts where the wolves were 

 known to lie, and here, in concealment, a brace — some- 

 times two brace — of wolf hounds were placed. A 

 horse was killed and the fore-quarters were trailed 

 through the paths and wa3's in the wood during the 

 previous day, and back to where the carcass lay, and 

 there they were left. When night approached, out 

 came the Avolves, and, having struck the scent, they 

 followed it until they found the dead horse, when, of 

 course, they began to feed on the flesh, and early in 

 the morning, just before day-break, the hunters placed 

 their dogs so as to prevent the wolves from returning 

 to cover. When a wolf came to the spot, the man in 

 charge of the wolf-hounds suffered him to pass by the 

 first, but the last were let slip full in his face, and at 

 the same instant the others were let slip also ; the first 

 staying him ever so little, he was sure to be attacked 

 on all sides at once, and therefore the more easily 

 taken." This is similar to the methods followed by 

 the Grand Dukes at Gatchina, in Russia. This aptly 

 portrays a sport of the future for Pennsylvania gen- 

 tlemen. Could anything be more blood-curdling or 

 inspiring? In Ireland the wealthy gentry hunted 



