292 WOLF. 



contrary, the American ones are considerably 

 smaller; and from these latter, it is pretended, 

 the Dogs proceeded, which were observed in North 

 America, on the first arrival of the Europeans. 

 In the less inhabited parts of America the Wolves 

 are said to go in great droves, and to hunt the 

 deer and other animals in the manner of hounds, 

 with hideous bowlings ; and it is affirmed that they 

 will even attack the Buffalo himself. When reduced 

 to extremity by hunger, they swallow great quanti- 

 ties of mud, to allay the uneasy sensations of their 

 stomachs. In the inhabited parts of America, 

 however, Wolves are now become rare. In some 

 parts of Europe the number of Wolves seems ra- 

 ther to have increased than diminished; and this 

 appears to be the case in Sweden, since, according 

 to Linnams, the Wolf was very rare in that coun- 

 try, till about the year 1720. The Swedes, besides 

 other methods, have a way of destroying the 

 Wolf, by leaving the carcase of a sheep or other 

 animal, stuffed with a species of Lichen or tree- 

 moss (Lichen vulpinus)j which is considered as a 

 certain poison to the Wolf, and (if we may judge 

 from the name) to the Fox also. This lichen is 

 of a filamentous or stringy form, very much 

 branched, and of a yellow-colour; and is found in 

 great plenty on the bodies of various trees, as 

 well as, occasionally, on old wooden roofs, walls, 

 &c. It is said to be mixed with pounded glass 

 when used for the purpose above mentioned, and 

 the glass is probably the most efficacious destroyer 

 of the animal. 



