168 PEAIEIE AND FOBEST. 



CHAPTEK XI. 



WOLVES. 



THERE are certainly three distinct species of wolves on the 

 American continent, many persons say more, but I am 

 inclined to believe that from a desire to increase the fauna 

 of a country, varieties are frequently transferred to the 

 responsible places of species. My opportunities of study- 

 ing the habits and appearance of the wolf have been very 

 great ; still, although my ideas are not in accordance 

 with Audubon and Bacheman and other accepted natural- 

 ists, I have no hesitation in stating them. 



First, on account of the greater size and nearer re- 

 semblance of the animal to the European race, we will 

 take the common familiarly-called grey wolf. At one time 

 it was scattered all over the North American continent to 

 the Gulf of Mexico; but now, with few exceptions, is not 

 to be found until the great prairies of the West or the 

 slopes of the Rocky Mountains are reached, or the immense 

 timber lands to the north of Canada entered. But still, 

 although their habitat has become restricted, owing doubt- 



