XIII HISTORY OF THE WOLF 421 
Dartmoor and in the Forest of Dean. In the New Forest they 
were hunted in the twelfth century. It would seem that the 
last English Wolf was slain some time during the reign of Henry 
VII. In Scotland, however, they persisted very much longer. 
So recently as 1743 was the last killed. But before this period 
they had begun to get exceedingly scarce, for the price of a skin 
in 1620 is quoted at £6:13:4. In Ireland Wolves lingered yet 
longer; about 1770 is believed to be the date of their final 
extinction in that island. The Wolf nowadays is distributed 
over the greater part of Europe, Northern Asia, and North 
America, the American form not being considered to be distinct 
from its European ally. Much legend has collected round this 
fierce Carnivore. Aristotle, usually accurate in the main, still 
“states more of wolves than experience warranted.” Pliny, 
unable to sift truth from falsehood, was in this matter “an eager 
listener to all old women’s tales.” Aelian added to his marvels 
and asserted that the Wolf cannot bend its head back; if it 
should happen to tread on the flower of the squill it at once 
becomes torpid. So the wily fox, fearmg his more powerful 
enemy, takes care to strew his path with squills! The conversion 
of men into Wolves was a well-known superstition, dating from 
Grecian and Roman times; it formed the basis of much of the 
witchcraft persecutions of the Middle Ages and onwards, and has 
left its mark in folklore, e.g. the Wolf in “ Red Riding Hood.” 
The Indian Wolves, C. pallipes, C. chanco, and C. laniger, are 
hardly, if at all, different from C. lupus. Professor Huxley has 
remarked upon the likeness of C. pallipes to a Jackal, thus bridging 
over the very inconsiderable gap that may be held to divide 
Jackals and Wolves. 
The Dingo, Canis dingo, is an interesting and somewhat 
mysterious species. of Dog or Wolf. As is well known, it is an 
Australian species; but it does not seem to be certain whether it 
was tamed and brought over to Australia by the native races, or 
is a true and indigenous Australian species. 
The colour of this species varies, but is usually of a reddish 
brown; it is, however, often grey and indeed almost black. 
Whether indigenous or introduced, the Dingo is a plague to 
Australian settlers, devouring Sheep, which it generally destroys 
by tearing out the paunch. It does not as a rule hunt in packs. 
The Dingo is stated to feign death with so much persistence that 
