156 A SPORTING PARADISE 



they skulked through the herd, dodging the old 

 bulls and angry cow buffaloes in the tall bunch- 

 grass of the plains. At present the alkali deserts, 

 bad lands, and the barrens of the Hudson Bay 

 country harbour the greater number of those 

 that still haunt the open. In the heavy timber 

 of the Rockies those wolves that prefer to 

 hunt in the shadow of the forest find abundance 

 of deer and smaller game and good hiding, that 

 not only enables them to hold their own in 

 numbers, but in many sections even to increase." 



Whether going in packs or singly, the grey 

 wolf rarely resorts to still-hunting and ambush 

 as the cougar does, but runs down its prey by 

 speed and endurance. During the summer the 

 wolves separate into pairs, and, seeking out 

 secluded retreats, dwell for a time in dens or 

 burrows of their own digging, the she wolf 

 nursing her whelps at home while her mate 

 keeps her supplied with food. After the young 

 wolves have learned to kill for themselves, the 

 family joins the pack again, knowing that their 

 success in hunting depends upon their numbers. 



A full-grown wolf in exceptional instances 

 reaches a height of 32 in., and a weight of 

 130 Ibs. The bitch wolves are smaller; and 



