228 WOLF 



by one Poison in Glen Loth, Sutherland ; another, that the last 

 was killed at MuIIionn-a-nihadaidh, Murcla^gan; while again we 

 learn from The Salural Ilisiori/ of a High/and Parish (Ardclach, 

 Nairn), by 'I'liomson, that the last wolf in Scotland was killed in 

 1743 by one Macqueen of PoUochoch (or Polla-ehrocain), near the 

 head of the Findhorn — this one seems to have been of a black 

 colour, and is supposed to be the very last in all Scotland. In 

 Ireland, the last native wolf was seen in the mountains of Kerry 

 in 1720. Wolves abounded once in the black wood of Hannoch. 

 Another (English) writer states that the last wolf in Scotland 

 seems to have disappeared in 1743, none being heard of in 

 England after the reign of Henry VII., while in Ireland their 

 extinction is dated 1766. Of all the places in Europe, Russia 

 has the most. As evidence of the necessity for protection from 

 their ravages, the heavy flat stone still to be seen over graves 

 in churchyards is eloquent. In the modern work by " John 

 Splendid," reference is made on page 78 to a wolf from 

 Benderloch. The burning of forests was an extreme remedy to 

 rid the country of these pests. In 1594, on one farm in Bread- 

 albane, four mares, a year-old horse, and a year-old quey are 

 chronicled as killed by wolves, while many other instances might 

 be quoted of the ravages in olden times of these beasts. A 

 service due to a lord for chasing, keeping off, and killing wolves, 

 was called "Fuba" and " Ruba " (Ir.). This was merely 

 Gaelicised Latin; in 1427 it was ordained that "The woolfe and 

 woolfe birdes (i.e., breed), suld be slaine." In reference to the 

 graveyard flat stone practice, Rob Donn says : — 



" Thus every grave we dug, the hungry wolf uptore. 

 And every morn the sod was strewn with bones and gore. 

 Our Mother Earth has doomed (denied?) us rest on PMdrachilis shore." 



So to the island the body had to go. Rob further says : — 



** Push off for the sea dashed grave ; 



The wolf may lurk at home, 

 May prowl in the * Diri mor ' 



Till nightfall bids hira roam ; 

 But the grave is void in the mountain kirk, 



And the dead has crossed the foam." 



In Strathardle, Glenshee, and Glenisla, so plentiful and 

 destructive were the wolves that all tenants were bound by their 

 leases to keep one pair of hounds for hunting them, etc. In 1552, 

 in one D. Ogilvie's lease of Newton of Belite, etc., he was taken 

 bound to keep two hounds and two sleuth-hounds, "and sail 

 nwrice ane leiche of guid houndis, with ane cuppill of rachis, 

 for tod and wolf; and salle be reddy at all times quhene we 

 charge them to pas with us or our balzies to the hountis" — 

 this is only one of many such. The wolves of Ben Bhuirich, Glen 

 Fernate, were reckoned the largest and fiercest j see Robertson's 



I 



