A DAEING WOLF. 43 



the entrance. The fence is made so high that the 

 wolf cannot leap over it, although it constantly endea- 

 vours to jump over, always to fall back baffled into the 

 enclosure. Some one then comes and puts it out of its 

 misery by shooting it. The wolf is but seldom regu- 

 larly hunted in Norway, for the dogs of the country 

 are not strong enough to tackle it. A great number 

 are, however, captured in traps, or killed by stratagem, 

 such as that of the squeaking porker. 



I may observe, in conclusion, that the Norwegian 

 wolf is not dangerous in summer ; for at that time of 

 the year it avoids human beings, and hides itself when 

 it can. In severe winters, when rendered almost mad 

 by hunger, two or three wolves together will attack a 

 solitary traveller, and devour him and his horse. This 

 creature is bold and daring in winter, and then ap- 

 proaches the towns. I have myself seen a wolf com- 

 posedly trotting across the ice on the Christiania-fjord, 

 and I was near enough to the brute to see him show 

 his teeth at me. Some time since a lady was driving 

 a sledge in the neighbourhood of Christiania, when a 

 wolf leaped out of a hedge, and carried off an unfor- 

 tunate lap-dog that was lying asleep by its mistress's 

 side. 



