260 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



The Littering of Wolves. 



mother after their birth. The she wolf produces her 

 first fitter about the conchision of her second year : it is 

 always in the most inclement season of the year that 

 these beasts are in heat — the old ones till nearly the 

 month of February, and the young ones till towards the 

 end of that month. The she wolves are extremely coy 

 before they yield to the advances of the males ; and if 

 several of the latter happen to meet when they have 

 found a female, they fight for her with the utmost ob- 

 stinacy, and the strongest wins the prize. The jealousy 

 of these animals is extreme ; and is carried to such a 

 height, that, if by accident a he wolf, after lining a 

 female, is met alone with her by several males, they 

 will attack and tear him in pieces. 



The Time when She Wolves Litter. — When the she 

 wolf is big, she commonly goes three months and a half, 

 or more — that is, upwards of a hundred days. They 

 litter earlier or later, according to the time they were in 

 heat. Their most numerous litters consist of six or 

 seven ; but never of less than three ; and there are 

 always more males than females. When the she wolf is 

 about to litter, she seeks some large ditch in an unfre- 

 quented place, or some hole at a distance from any road, 

 into which she retires. She even seeks to avoid the 

 presence of the male ; because, if he were present when 

 she brings forth her young, he would not fail to devour 

 them. If, however, the female happens soon afterwards 

 to die, the male, appearing to be actuated by paternal 

 affection, feeds the yoimg cubs, defends them against 

 every enemy, and when they have acquired a little 

 strength, he conducts them into large corn fields^ and 



