316 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



against him ; and happily for these islands, the 

 whole race -has long been extirpated here. King- 

 Edgar attempted to effect it in England, by re- 

 mitting the punishment of certain crimes on pro- 

 ducing a number of Wolves' tongues; and in Wales, 

 the tax of gold and silver was commuted for an 

 annual tribute of Wolves' heads. Some centuries 

 after that, they increased to such a degree, as to 

 become an object of royal attention ; and great re- 

 wards were given for destroying them. Camden 

 informs us, that certain persons held their lands on 

 condition of hunting and destroying the Wolves 

 that infested the country ; whence they were called 

 the Wolve-hunt. In the reign of Athelstan, Wolves 

 abounded so much in Yorkshire, that a retreat was 

 built at Flixton, to defend passengers from their 

 attacks. As the ravages of these animals were 

 greatest during winter, particularly in January, 

 when the cold was severest, our Saxon ancestors 

 distinguished that month by the title of Wolf- 

 moneth. They also called an outlaw Wolf shed, as 

 being out of the protection of the law, and as 

 liable to be killed as that destructive beast. They 

 infested Ireland many centuries after their extinc- 

 tion in England : the last presentment for killing 

 Wolves was made in the county of Cork, about the 

 year 1710. 



These animals abound in the immense forests of 

 Germany, where the following methods are taken 

 to destroy them : In some very sequestered part of 

 the forest, they hang up a large piece of carrion on 

 the branch of a tree, having previously made a train 

 of some miles long, leaving small pieces of putrid 

 flesh here and there to allure the Wolves to the 

 spot : they then wait till it is dark, and approach 



