THE WOLF. 87 



of black, brown, and iron-grey ; and the hair is of a 

 rough and hard consistence, blended towards the roots 

 with a kind of ash-coloured fur : he is in every re- 

 spect much stronger than the dog ; but the length of 

 his hair tends to increase the appearance of his size. 

 The feature which principally distinguishes the two 

 animals, is the eye, which, in the wolf, opens slant- 

 ingly upwards in the same direction as the nose; but 

 that of the dog opens in the same manner as those of 

 the human race. 



The wolf is one of those quadrupeds whose appetite 

 for animal food is the most voracious, and whose means 

 of satisfying it to be the most easily obtained, for na- 

 ture has furnished him with strength, cunning, agility, 

 and all those requisites which can fit him for pursuing, 

 overtaking, and conquering his prey; yet so powerful 

 are the claims of hunger upon him, that he frequently 

 dies from wanting a sufficiency of food : though natu- 

 rally dull and cowardly in his disposition, necessity 

 seems to make him bold; and he will undoubtedly at- 

 tack any animal that is immediately under the protec- 

 tion of man, particularly lambs and sheep ; and, when 

 the calls of hunger are very pressing, he will venture to 

 assail both women and men : yet having been for ages 

 proscribed, and a large reward offered for their head, 

 they are obliged to fly from human habitations, which 

 only the urgency of hunger impels them to approach. 

 King Edgar is said to be the first who attempted to rid 

 this kingdom of these animals ; and, for certain crimes, 

 the criminal was pardoned by producing a stated num- 

 ber of that creature 7 s tongues. Some centuries after- 

 wards, they increased to such a degree as to become 

 objects' of royal attention ; and Edward the First ap- 

 pointed a superintendant to endeavour to extirpate th« 



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