HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 315 



" By wintry famine rous'd from all the tract 

 " Of horrid mountains, which the shining Alps^ 

 " And wavy Appenine, and Pyrenees, 

 " Branch out, stupendous, into distant lands, 

 ' Cruel as death ! and hungry as the grave ! 

 " Burning for blood ! bony, and ghaunt, and grim ! 

 " Assembling Wolves, in raging troops, descend ; 

 " And, pouring o'er the country, bear along, 

 il Keen as the north wind sweeps the glossy snow, 

 "All is their prize." 



The Wolf has great strength, especially in the 

 muscles of his neck and jaws: he can carry a Sheep 

 in his mouth, and easily run off with it in that man- 

 ner. His bite is cruel and deadly, and keener as it 

 meets with less resistance ; but when opposed, he 

 is cautious and circumspect, and seldom fights but 

 from necessity. He is harder and more robust, but 

 not so sensible as the Dog. He almost incessantly 

 prowls about for prey; and of all animals is the 

 most difficult to conquer in the chase. His sense 

 of smelling is peculiarly strong; he scents the track 

 of animals, and follows it with great perseverance : 

 the odour of carrion strikes him at the distance of 

 near a league. 



Wolves are capable of bearing want of food for a 

 long time. To allay their hunger, they will some- 

 times fill their stomachs with mud. They have 

 been known to follow armies, and assemble? in 

 troops upon the field of battle ; tear up such 

 bodies as have been carelessly interred, and de- 

 vour them with insatiable avidity. 



In all ages the Wolf has been considered as the 

 most savage enemy of mankind, and rewards were 

 given for its head. Various methods have been 

 taken to rid the Avorld of this rapacious invader : 

 pitfalls, traps, and poison, have all been employed 



