466 THE FARMER AT HOME. 



WIRE. A piece of metal drawn through the hole of an iron into 

 a thread of a fineness answerable to the hole it passes through. Gold 

 wire is made of cylindrical ingots of silver, covered over with a skin of 

 gold, and thus drawn successively through a vast number of holes, 

 each smaller and smaller, till at last it is brought to a fineness exceed- 

 ing that of a hair. A cylinder of forty-eight ounces of silver, covered 

 with a coat of gold, only weighing one ounce, as Dr. Hally informs us, 

 is usually drawn into a wire, two yards of which weigh no more than 

 one grain : accordingly ninety-eight yards of the wire weigh no more 

 than forty-nine grains, and one single grain of gold covers the ninety- 

 eight yards ; so that the ten-thousandth part of a grain is above one- 

 eighth of an inch long. 



WOLF. The wolf is, by some naturalists, considered the original 

 stock of the domestic dog, and, indeed, it very much resembles a large 

 dog in its general appearance. The European wolf leads a solitary 

 life, but, when urged by hunger, unites in packs, which, at times, 

 even become dangerous to travellers. It possesses such strength that 

 it is able to carry off a sheep at full speed, and few dogs are able to 

 attack it with success. When taken young, it is easily tamed, and 

 becomes attached to its keeper, recognising him even after a year's 

 absence. The female brings forth her young in a retired place in the 

 forest, and defends them courageously. The American wolf is pro- 

 bably a distinct species ; but this point is not yet perfectly ascertained. 

 It was formerly numerous in all parts of the United States, but is now 

 almost extinct in the more settled districts. We have also another 

 species of the wolf the prairie, or the barking wolf on the unwooded 

 plains of the Missouri. The black wolves are supposed to be mere 

 varieties of the common species. 



WOODCHUCK. This animal is common in all the temperate 

 parts of America. It is also called the Maryland Marmot, being nu- 

 merous in that state. It does great injury to the farmers, as the quan- 

 tity of herbage it consumes is really surprising. It burrows in the 

 ground, on the side of hills, and these galleries extend to great dis- 

 tances under ground, and terminate in various chambers. Here the 

 woodchuck makes himself a comfortable bed of dry leaves, grass, and 

 any soft rubbish,* where he sleeps from the close of day till the next 

 morning is far advanced. It is fond of cabbage, lettuce, and other 

 garden vegetables. When in captivity, it is exceedingly fond of milk 

 and bread. At the commencement of cold weather, it goes into win- 

 ter quarters, blocks up the door within, and remains torpid till the 

 warm season. It is about the size of a rabbit, and of a dark brown 

 color. 



WOODCOCK. The woodcock of the old continent, is about as 

 large as a pigeon, with a bill three inches long. The crown of the 

 head and back of the neck, are barred with black, and a black streak 

 runs from the bill to the eyes. The American woodcock greatly re- 



