The Timber-wolf 



myself. They are occasionally trapped, 

 but after a very few have been procured 

 in this way the survivors become so wary 

 that it is almost impossible even for a 

 master of the art to do much with them, 

 while an ordinary man can never get one 

 into a trap except by accident. 



More can be done with poison, but even 

 in this case the animal speedily learns cau- 

 tion by experience. When poison is first 

 used in a district wolves are very easily 

 killed, and perhaps almost all of them will 

 be slain, but nowadays it is difficult to 

 catch any but young ones in this way. 

 Occasionally an old one will succumb, but 

 there are always some who cannot be 

 persuaded to touch a bait. The old she- 

 wolves teach their cubs, as soon as they 

 are able to walk, to avoid man's trace in 

 every way, and to look out for traps and 

 poison. 



In consequence, though most cow- 

 59 



