THE WOODLANDS. 12 f 



CHAPTER VII. 



QUADRUPEDS. 



MANY generations have passed away since the larger 

 carnivorous animals inhabited these islands. History 

 gives us but slender information of the reign of the 

 brown bear. Pennant says that there is proof of 

 their infesting Scotland so late as the year 1057, 

 when a Gordon, in reward for his valour for killing 

 a fierce bear, was directed by the king to carry three 

 bears' heads on his banner. More recently the wolf 

 flourished in Scotland, for Hollingshed states that it 

 was noxious to the flocks until 1577, and was not 

 entirely extirpated till about 1680. Ireland was not 

 delivered from them for some time after this, since 

 the last presentment for killing wolves was made in 

 the county of Cork about the year 1710. As to the 

 wild boar, that also disappeared at a remote period. 

 At the time when a vast forest grew on the north 

 side of London, it was the retreat of stags, fallow- 

 deer, wild boars, and bulls. Hunting the wild boar 

 was a sport protected by the Norman kings; and 

 Charles I. tried to restore the sport by the introduc- 

 tion of wild boars into the New Forest ; but these 

 were soon extirpated. Amongst the extinct British 



