CURIOUS CREATURES. 135 



by, and generally shrinks from, man, but, united by hunger 

 into packs, they are truly to be dreaded, for they spare 

 nor man nor beast. They lie, too, under the imputation of 

 magic, and have done so from a very early age. Their 

 cunning, instinct, or reasoning powers, are almost as 

 well developed as in the fox, and, of all the authorities 

 I have consulted, the one best fitted to discourse upon 

 the Wolf and his peculiarities is Topsell, and here is one 

 of their idiosyncrasies : 



" It is said that Wolves doe also eate a kind of earth 

 called Argilla, which they doe not for hunger, but to 

 make their bellies waigh heavy, to the intent, that when 

 they set upon a Horsse, an Oxe, a Hart, an Elke, or 

 some such strong beast, they may waigh the heavier, 

 and hang fast at their throates till they have pulled them 

 downe, for by vertue of that tenacious earth, their teeth 

 are sharpened, and the waight of their bodies encreased ; 

 but, when they have killed the beast that they set upon, 

 before they touch any part of his flesh, by a kind of 

 natural vomit, they disgorge themselves, and empty their 

 bellies of the earth, as unprofitable food. . . . 



" They also devoure Goates and Swyne of all sortes, 

 except Bores, who doe not easily yeald unto Wolves. 

 It is said that a Sow, hath resisted a Wolfe, and when 

 he fighteth with her, hee is forced to use his greatest 

 craft and suttelty, leaping to and from her with his best 

 activity, least she should lay her teeth upon him, and so 

 at one time deceive him of his prey, and deprive him of 

 his life. It is reported of one that saw a Wolfe in a 

 Wood, take in his mouth a peece of Timber of some 

 thirty or forty pound waight, and with that he did 

 practise to leape over the trunke of a tree that lay upon 

 the earth ; at length, when he perceived his own ability 



