4S THE SHOOTER'S GUIDE. 



twenty years, and the latter about fourteen) ; all suf- 

 ficiently point out a distinction, and draw a line that 

 must for ever keep them asunder. 



The wolf, although apparently modeled upon the 

 same plan as the dog, yet only offers the reverse of 

 the model. If his form be similar, his nature is so 

 different that he only preserves the ill qualities, 

 without any of his good ones. Indeed their disposi- 

 tions are so completely reverse, that no two animals 

 can have a more perfect antipathy to each other. A 

 young dog shudders at the sight of a wolf; he even 

 shuns his scent ; which, though unknown, is so re- 

 pugnant to his nature, that he comes trembling to 

 seek protection near his master; while an older dog, 

 conscious of his strength, bristles up at the sigbt, 

 manifests every symptom of animosity, attacks him 

 \vith courage, endeavours to put him to flight, and 

 does every thing in his power to rid himself of a pre- 

 sence so perfectly hateful. These two animals never 

 meet without flying or fighting fighting too for 

 life or death, showing no mercy on either side. If 

 the wolf prove victorious, he tears and devours his 

 enemy ; the dog, on the contrary, is more generous, 

 and contents himself with his victory : lie does not 

 seem to think that the body of a dead enemy smells 

 well ; he leaves him where he falls, to serve as food 

 for birds of prey, or for other wolves, since they de- 

 vour each other ; for whenever one wolf happens to 

 be desperately wounded, the rest track him by his 



