278 Mr. Hardy on the Wolf in Scotland. 



which the pursuit of the wolf gave rise. It might, however, 

 be to prevent deer-stalking or poaching for game, which were 

 strictly forbidden. The act of 1457 differs from this in some 

 particulars worthy of notice. The duty of raising the coun- 

 try for the destruction of the wolf, is stated to belong to the 

 sheriff or the " bailyies." This Avas to be done in the dis- 

 trict " quhair ony is," " three times in the yer," The period 

 is expressly stated, ^'betuix Sanct Mark's day and Lammes;" 

 that is, from the 25th of April to the 1st of August ; and that 

 for a very explicit reason, " for that is the tyme of the qual- 

 pis."* A wedder " unforgeun " was the penalty for dis- 

 obedience to the summons ; "quhatever he be that rysse not." 

 Whoever then or at any other time was successful in slaying 

 a wolf, received a most encouraging reward for his bravery. 

 " He sail haif of ilk householder of that parochin that the 

 wolf is slayne within, a penny." Whenever notice was ob- 

 tained of a wolfs presence in any quarter, the alarm con- 

 voked the ijosse comitatus ; " the cuntre sal be ready and ilk 

 householder to hont thame."t So far the text of the Record 

 Commission. The conclusion I take from Glendook's Scots 

 Acts, James IT., p. 49. " And they that slayis ane woolfe, 

 sail bring the head to the schireffe, baillie, or baronne, and 

 he sail be" debtour to the slayer for the summe foresaide. 

 And quhatsumever hee bee that slayis ane woolfe, and bringis 

 the head to the shiriffe, lord, baillie, or baronne, he sail have 

 sex pennyes." In the Record version the sum given is two 

 shillings, while a fox's head is valued at sixpence.^ There 

 is no saving clause. 



In Scotland, when these acts were passed, there was seri- 

 ous occasion for the interference of the legislature. Bellen- 

 den, who at the command of James V., translated Hector 

 Boece's History, says there were "gret plente of haris, hartis, 

 hindis, dayis, rais, wolfhs, wild hors, and toadis," in the 

 Caledonian forest ; § and elsewhere he mentions " The wolffis 



* Martyn in his Dictionary of Natural History (2 vols, London 1785) says, 

 that " young wolves are found from the latter end of April to the beginning of 

 July." 



•j- Very similar was the custom in Switzerland in Gesner's time. " In Hel- 

 vetiis et Alpibus perpauci [lupi] reperiuntur : raro cnim ex Gallia Cisalpina 

 (Lombardia) et vicinis regionibus advenerunt : et si quis deprehendatur, mox 

 tanquam communis hostis, datis vicatim companarum, ut vocant, signis, vena- 

 tione publica capitur." Liber de Quadrupedibus viviparis, i. p. 717. Zurich, 

 1551. 



;}: Acts of the Parliament of Scotland, ii. p. 51, 52. The Athenians were 

 more generous. "Ex lege Athenis lata, qua cavebatur, ut qui in Attico lupi 

 catulum occideret, talento donaretur ; qui lupum ip?um duobus." Hesychius. 



§ Bellenden's Boece. Cosmographia, chap. xi. 



