26 ANIMALS OF THE 



the wolf, instead of falling to the meat, began by 

 driving off the dog ; and took the platter in its 

 teeth so expertly, that it let nothing of what it 

 contained fall upon the ground, and in this man- 

 ner carried it off; but as the wolf could not en- 

 tirely escape, it was frequently seen to run with 

 the platter round the yard five or six times, still 

 carrying it in a position that none of its contents 

 could fall. In this manner it would continue 

 running, only now and then stopping to take 

 breath, until the dog coming up, the wolf would 

 leave the victuals to attack him. The dog, how- 

 ever, was the stronger of the two ; but as it was 

 more gentle, in order to secure him from the 

 wolfs attack, he had a collar put round his neck. 

 In the third year, the quarrels of these ill-paired 

 associates were more vehement, and their com- 

 bats more frequent; the wolf, therefore, had a 

 collar put about its neck, as well as the dog, who 

 began to be more fierce and unmerciful. Dur- 

 ing the two first years, neither seemed to testify 

 the least tendency towards engendering ; and it 

 was not till the end of the third, that the wolf, 

 which was the female, showed the natural desire, 

 but without abating either in its fierceness or ob- 

 stinacy. This appetite rather increased than 

 repressed their mutual animosity ; they became 

 every day more intractable and ferocious, and 

 nothing was heard between them but the sounds 

 of rage and resentment. They both, in less than 

 three weeks, became remarkably lean, without 

 ever approaching each other, but to combat. At 

 length their quarrels became so desperate, that 



