THE AMERICAN WOLF. 45 



being apparently very much dependent upon them for food, 

 during the coldest season of the year. Captain Lyon re- 

 lates the following singular instance of the cunning of one 

 of the wolves which had been caught in a trap, and, after 

 being to all appearance dead, was dragged on board the 

 ship. "The eyes, however, were observed to wink when- 

 ever any object was placed near them ; some precautions 

 were therefore considered necessary, and the legs being 

 tied, the animal was hoisted up with his legs downwards. 

 He then, to our surprise, made a vigorous spring at those 

 near him, and afterwards repeatedly turned himself up- 

 wards, so as to reach the rope by which he was suspend- 

 ed, endeavoring to gnaw it asunder, and making angry 

 snaps at those who prevented him. Several heavy blows 

 were struck on the back of his neck, and a bayonet was 

 thrust through him, yet above a quarter of an hour elapsed 

 before he died." 



The general color of this wolf is reddish brown, but a 

 great variety is to be observed in the coloring of the wolf as 

 found in the northern, middle and southern regions, ex- 

 hibiting various gradations, from grizzly white to pure 

 black. He is about four feet and a half in length including 

 the tail, which is rather more than a foot long. The 

 height, before, is tw r o feet three inches ; behind, it is two 

 feet four, inches. The tail is bushy and bending down- 

 wards. 



The American Wolf is possessed of great strength and 

 fierceness. The great strength of its jaws, (as is the case 

 with the common Wolf of the Old World,) enables it to carry 

 off with facility an animal nearly as large as itself, 

 and makes its bite exceedingly severe and dangerous. 

 Aged or wounded individuals, as well as the hinds and 

 fawns of the deer, sheep, lambs, calves and pigs, are killed 

 by them, and the horse is said to be the only domestic ani- 

 mal which can resist them with success. They gorge with 

 much greediness upon all sorts of carrion, which they can 



