THE WOLF. J FOIi MOUNTAIN, FIELD, AND FAmr. [tue wolf. 



ing roiiml the area in which thoy arc enclosed. 

 Dr. Kie-harilson states from observation, wlien 

 they gambol with each other, they elevate their 

 tails. 



"When pursued, the wolf rushes along, with 

 his muzzle almost to the ground, his eyes 

 glowing like tire, the hair of his neck and 

 shoulders erect, and hia tail lowered and 

 drawn close; when out of danger, he .slackens 

 his pace, raises his head, sniffs about, and 

 whisks his tail around, as if exulting in his 

 escape ; but if brought to bay by hounds, he 

 defends himself to the last, and often kills and 

 maims some of his antagonists before he falls 

 overpowered by numbers. In hunting him, 

 the Kirghese Tartars employ a large hawk, 

 which lastens upon the animal's head, and tears 

 out its eyes. 



The power of the wolf, especially in the 

 muscles of tho head, neck, and shoulders, is 

 immense ; and his bite is terribly severe, 

 generally cutting out the flesh with a snap. 

 Among themselves they fight often with great 

 desperation, the combat ending with tho death 

 of the weaker. It is said that wolves wounded 

 by the gunshot of hunters or travellers, are 

 torn in pieces and devoured by their fellows. 

 This is not characteristic of the dog. 



The average height of the animal at the 

 shoulders is about two feet six inches. The 

 female rears her young in some cave or gloomy 

 recess, and produces from five to nine young 

 at a birth. These are born with the eyes 

 closed, as in the dog. In the defence of her 

 offspring the female is furious, and greatly to 

 be dreaded. The voice of the wolf is a pro- 

 longed howl, resounding dismally through the 

 titilly darkness of the night. Not so the dog's. 



On the southern side of the Pyrenees there 

 exists a variety, perhaps, of the wolf, termed, 

 from its colour, the Black Wolf — the Loup noir 

 of Bufton. This animal is asserted to be more 

 ferocious than the ordinary grey wolf; but, 

 perhaps, without any foundation. 



Desmarest says that the wolf is solitary and 

 nocturnal ; but that in winter it unites in 

 troops, which attack horses and men. The 

 sense of smell is very acute ; but its speed is 

 not A-ery great, and it wearies out its victim by 

 dint of untiring perseverance. AVhen in full 

 chase of its prey, it gallops along, pertina- 

 ciously following the track of the fugitive. 



Lord Byron, in iiis poem of Mazrppa, vividly 

 depicts tho scene of a troop of wolves in pur- 

 suit of tlieir prey : — 



" Wf rustlcil tlirouijli tlie loaves like wind, 

 Left shrubs, anil trees, and wolves behind ; 

 15y night I heard them on the traek, 

 1'iieir troop came hard upon our back, 

 ^\'ith their lon^ gallop, which can tire 

 The hound's deep hate and hunter's fire ; 

 Where'er we flew they followed on, 

 Nor left us with the morning sun. 

 Behind 1 saw them scarce a rood 

 At daybreak winding through the wood ; 

 And through the night had heard their feet 

 Their stealing rustling step repeat." 



In almost every department of France in- 

 fested by the wolf, there is a society called 

 Socicte de Louveterie, the object of which is 

 to keep that animal down ; and premiums, 

 varying in amount according to the sex and 

 ago of the animals killed, are likewise paid. 

 The means hitherto employed, however, have 

 been inadequate to eft'ect the purpose. Al- 

 though we can adduce several instances of the 

 ferocity of certain species of dogs, there is 

 nothing of which we are aware on record, 

 which indicates a disposition at all approach- 

 ing the unrelenting native ferocity of the 

 wolf. 



In the province of Posen, Prussia, in 1S14, 

 three grown persons and sixteen children were 

 devoured by wolves in the small circle of 

 Wongrowiec alone. "When Prussia regained 

 the province of Posen, in 1S15, no time was 

 lost by the government in getting rid of so 

 great a public nuisance ; and in that province, 

 within five years, from 1815 to 1819 inclusive, 

 4,618 dollars were paid by the government in 

 rewards for killing wolves. 



In the parish of Briala, district of Eawa, 

 during the month of August, 1S37, four girls 

 were torn to pieces not far from their own 

 houses. This was in summer. 



Mr. Lloyd, in his Field Sports in the Korth 

 of Europe, relates many events respecting these 

 animals. It would appear that they are less 

 dangerous to man than might bo expected, 

 though they sometimes, especially when com- 

 bined in troops, attack travellers with great 

 audacity. A gentleman attached to the 

 embassy of St. Petersburgh, narrated to him 

 the following circumstance : — " It happened 

 at no great distance from St. Petersburgh, 



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