630 THE DOG. 



from dawn to sunset, but may be roused at once from his per- 

 turbed and sullen slumber by the calls of hunger, and then 

 he is as fierce and insatiable as during the night. When 

 prey is abundant, he contents himself with devouring the 

 most savoury parts, but when it is scarce, he buries the 

 flesh under ground, and returns again and again, in silence 

 and alone, to feed. When prowling in the dark, he suf- 

 fers no creature which comes within his grasp to escape 

 with life ; for instinct, it appears, instructs him to kill even 

 though he should be unable to devour. The Wolf is thus 

 the terror of the weaker animals ; and even the strongest 

 and fleetest do not escape him. Yet he is rather ferocious 

 and cunning than truly daring, except when urged by hun- 

 ger, and then no danger seems to appal him. But he gene- 

 rally seeks to circumvent rather than make a direct attack on 

 animals able to resist him. He crouches on the ground, and 

 avails himself of every cover, or sinuosity of the surface, to 

 take his victim unprepared. When the sentinels of armies 

 are placed in woods where wolves abound, they are often de- 

 stroyed ere the alarm can be given, or help afforded. The 

 wolves, lurking and concealed around, watch in silence every 

 motion of the man, and in an instant, when he turns his 

 back, or is off his guard, spring upon him and tear him to 

 pieces. In India the young villagers, when employed in 

 ploughing or other labours of the field, are not unfrequently 

 carried off by the wolves of the neighbouring jungles. The 

 animals, skulking in the hollows of the ground, and availing 

 themselves of every bush, approach unseen, and, when the 

 back of the victim is for a moment turned, spring upon 

 him. In this manner, a few years ago, near a particular 

 village in India, more than a dozen of poor boys were carried 

 off in quick succession during the period of the active labours 

 of the season. The pertinacity with which a wolf will watch 

 and pursue his solitary victim is wonderful. He will follow 

 him for mile after mile, crouching and concealing himself. 

 During the long continued snow in 1845, the French Jour- 



