THE WOLF. 179 



its injurious character appear proportionately far greater -, not 

 to mention the dangers to which even man is exposed from 

 its ferocity. As the countries infested by it become inhabited 

 by people and tame animals, and less stocked with game, the 

 audacity with which it attacks the tame species, notwithstanding 

 the more extensive persecution to which the animal is subjected, 

 increases even more than appears in proportion to the necessity 

 for drawing more and more upon them for subsistence 5 until 

 at last, man himself becomes its prey. To increase the list of 

 the wolfs crimes it has, in many instances, communicated 

 hydrophobia to man. In return for all the evils which this 

 animal inflicts upon us, it has only its fur to offer ; for obtaining 

 which alone no hunter, in civilized countries, will incur the 

 necessary expense, loss of time, and trouble. No wonder, 

 therefore, that the same game-laws, which were conservative as 

 to the wild boar, stag, &c., should have outlawed the wolf from 

 time immemorial, as being very injurious to herbivorous 

 game. But the narrow-minded selfishness by which, until 

 lately, almost all the game-laws have been dictated, did not 

 admit of going a step further, by encouraging the extirpation 

 of the wolf, by premiums sufficiently high, or in proportion to 

 the interest which the commonwealth had in getting rid of the 

 nuisance. On the contrary, the undue protection bestowed on 

 herbivorous game, presented great obstacles to man in exter- 

 minating the wolf; whereas, in every country that is fairly 

 brought under man's control, no wolf ought to exist : a result 

 which, in England, has been effected long ago. 



It may not at present be found practicable to exterminate the 

 wolf in the Pyrenean and Carpathian mountains ; the adjacent 

 countries must, therefore, remain more or less subject to its 

 occasional invasions : but it is probable the Jura, as well as the 

 rest of France, Lower Austria, Upper Silesia, and Poland, might 

 be thoroughly cleared of their resident wolves. 



On August 27, 1837, the Mayors of Bouhet and Benon, in 

 the arrondissement of the town of La Rochelle, summoned a 

 number of gentlemen to superintend a general battue which the 



