WOLF 



.] NATURAL HISTORY. 349 



MEN in ancient time did fasten upon the gates of their 

 towns the heads of Wolves, thereby to put away witchery, 

 sorcery or enchantment. Which many hunters observes or 

 do at this day, but to what use they know not. 



Lupton, "Notable Things," bk. iii. 5. 



IF the tail of a Wolf be buried or put in the ground 

 of any town or village, no Wolf will enter in that town 

 or village. Ibid., 20. 



IF one make a little rope of the guts of a Wolf, and 

 then bury the same under the sand or earth, there will 

 neither horse nor sheep go that way, though you beat 

 them with a staff. ibid., bk. ix. 98. 



THEY say there is antipathy between Wolves, and squill- 

 roots. Camdetfs "Britannia," col. 907 (ed. 1722). 



THE Wolves of Scanzia, by reason of extremity of cold 

 in those parts, are blind and lose their eyes. The golden 

 Wolf is exceeding strong, especially being able with his 

 mouth and teeth to bite asunder not only stones but brass 

 and iron. In the Dog-days he hideth himself in some pit 

 or gaping of the earth, until that sunny heat be abated. 

 There be some have thought that dogs and Wolves are 

 one kind : namely that vulgar dogs are tame Wolves, and 

 ravening Wolves are wild dogs. But Scaliger hath learnedly 

 confuted this opinion, shewing that they are two distinct 

 kinds, not joined together in nature, nor in any natural 

 action. The brains of a Wolf do decrease and increase 

 with the moon. The neck of a Wolf is short which 

 argueth a treacherous nature. If the heart of a Wolf be 

 kept dry, it rendereth a most pleasant or sweet -smell ing 

 savour. They will go into the water two by two, every 

 one hanging upon another's tail, which they take in their 

 mouths. Wolves do also eat a kind of earth called Argilla, 

 which they do not for hunger, but to make their bellies 

 weigh heavy, to the intent, that when they set upon an 

 horse, an ox, a hart, an elk, or some such strong beast, 

 they may hang fast at their throats till they have pulled 

 them down, for by virtue of that tenacious earth, their teeth 

 are sharpened, and the weight of their bodies increased ; 

 but when they have killed the beast before they touch 



