36 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



servation of her own life and that of the remaining children, 

 the poor, frantic creature now took one of her babes, and 

 cast it a prey to her blood-thirsty pursuers. This stopped 

 their career for a moment; but, after devouring the little 

 innocent, they renewed the pursuit, and a second time came 

 up with the vehicle. The mother, driven to desperation, 

 resorted to the same horrible expedient, and threw her fero- 

 cious assailants another of her offspring. To cut short this 

 melancholy story, her third child was sacrificed in a similar 

 manner. 



Soon after this, the wretched being, whose feelings may 

 more easily be conceived than described, reached lier home 

 in safety. Here she related what had happened, and en- 

 deavoured to palliate her own conduct, by describing the 

 dreadful alternative to which she had been reduced. A 

 peasant, however, who was among the by-standers, and 

 heard the recital, took up an axe, and with one blow cleft 

 her skull in two; saying, at the same time, that a mother 

 who could thus sacrifice her children for the preservation 

 of her own life, was no longer fit to live. 



This man was committed to prison, but the Emperor 

 subsequently gave him a pardon. 



This gentleman related to me another curious circum- 

 stance regarding Wolves: it happened at no great distance 

 from St. Petersburg, only two years previously. 



A peasant, when one day in his sledge, was pursued by 

 eleven of these ferocious animals: at this time, he was only 

 about two miles from home, towards which he urged his 

 horse at the very top of his speed. At the entrance to his 

 residence was a gate, which happened to be closed at the 

 time; but the horse dashed this open, and thus himself and 

 his master found refuge within the court-yard. 



They were followed, however, by nine out of the eleven 

 Wolves : but, very fortunately, at the instant these had 

 entered the enclosure, the gate swung back on its hinges, 

 and thus tliey were cauglit as in a trap. From being the 

 most voracious of animals, the nature of these beasts, now 

 that they found escape impossible, became completely 

 changed: so far, indeed, from offering molestation to any 

 one, they slunk into holes and corners, and allowed them- 

 selves to be slaughtered almost witliout making resistance. 

 It is said, that the mere act of striking a light with flint 

 and steel, has often the effect of intimidating a Wolf; and 

 that the rattling of a chain not unfrequently answers tlie 

 like purpose. In the event of a person, when unarmed, 

 being attacked by these blood-thirsty brutes, these things 

 are worth knowing; for, though apparently trifling in them- 

 selves, they might be the means of saving his life. 



In some parts of Scandinavia, when people are travelling 

 during the winter-time over extended plains, lakes, &c. 

 which are known to be much frequented by Wolves, it is 

 the custom to attach a long rope to the back of the sledge; 



the serpentine motion that this makes, when the vehicle ia 

 proceeding, has, it is said, the effect of deterring these ani- 

 mals from making their attacks. — Lloyd's Field Sports. 



INFLUENCE OF MUSIC UPON MICE. 



The following anecdote of the influence of music 

 upon a Mouse, is related by Dr. Archer, of Norfolk. 



"On a rainy evening in the winter of 1S15," says this gen- 

 tleman, " as I was alone in my chamber, I took up my flute, 

 and commenced playing. In a few minutes my attention 

 was directed to a mouse that I saw creeping from a hole, 

 and advancing towards the chair I was sitting in; I ceased 

 playing, and it ran precipitately back to its hole: I began 

 again shortly afterwards, and was much surprised to see it 

 re-appear, and take its old position. The appearance of the 

 little animal was truly delightful — it couched itself on the 

 floor, shut its eyes, and appeared to be in ecstasy: I ceased 

 playing, and it instantly disappeared again. This experi- 

 ment I repeated frequently, with the same success, observ- 

 ing that it was always differently affected, as the music va- 

 ried from the slow and plaintive to the brisk or lively. 

 It finally went off, and all my ai't could not entice it to 

 return." 



A more remarkable instance of this fact was recently in- 

 serted in the Philadelphia Medical and PhysicalJournal, 

 communicated by Dr. Cramer, of Jefferson county. The 

 circumstance, he says, was related to him by a gentleman 

 of undoubted veracity. 



" One evening in the month of December, as a few offi- 

 cers on board a British man of war, in the harbour of Ports- 

 mouth, were seated round the fire, one of them began to 

 play a plaintive air on the violin. He had scarcely per- 

 formed ten minutes, when a mouse, apparently frantic, 

 made its appearance in the centre of the floor, near the 

 large table which usually stands in the ward room. The 

 strange gestures of the little animal strongly excited the 

 attention of the officers, who, with one consent, resolved to 

 suffer it to continue its singular actions unmolested. Its 

 exertions now appeared to be greater every moment — it 

 shook its head, leaped about the table, and exhibited signs 

 of the most extatic delight. It was observed, that in pro- 

 portion to the gradation of the tones to the soft point, the 

 feelings of the animal appeared to be increased, and vice 

 versa. After performing actions, which an animal so di- 

 minutive would at first sight seem incapable of, the little 

 creature, to the astonishment of the delighted spectators, 

 suddenly ceased to move, fell down, and expired, without 

 evincing any symptoms of pain." — Sport. Mag. 



