THE WOLVES. 145 
ring to Oppian,* whose information on the subject 
is by far the most distinct, that he enumerates no 
less than five wild canines under the name of wolves. 
The first of these was the rofoorne (Jaculator), 
the darting wolf, a fleet animal, with a small body, 
strong limbs, large head, of a rufous colour, with 
round white spots on the belly, and flaming eyes. 
He howled terribly, and was constantly roaming 
about the shepherds’ flocks. 
The second species translators have designated 
by the epithets of harpagus, accipiter, and circus : 
because the animal practised a mode of circumvent- 
ing its prey. This variety was the largest in body 
and limbs, and also the fleetest of the whole. In 
colour it was silvery white, with a splendid tail, 
and it came forth in the dusk. During winter, 
when snows lay deep on the mountains, it de- 
scended to the plains and preyed on the goats and 
flocks of husbandmen. 
The third was the aureus or golden wolf, the 
most beautiful of the species, clothed in a fur of 
reddish golden yellow, and armed with powerful 
teeth. This race resided in the mountains of Cici- 
lian Taurus and Amanus, but was impatient of heat, 
and therefore lay in its rocky retreats during the 
canicular period. 
* Oppian, lib. iii. Messieurs de l’Academie of Paris, in 
their Memoirs, Part I., have toiled hard to show that some 
wolves of the ancients were lynxes; and then named a lynx 
they dissected loup cervier, with an erudition and confusion of 
purpose apparently inherent in learned bodies, 
VOL. I. K 
