66 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY 



to overcome the rapidity of its flight, I beg leave to differ; 

 and, in doing so, I am well aware I oppose myself to the 

 practice of many a good shot, whom custom and prejudice 

 have confirmed in old habits. There are many ways, 

 nevertheless, of accomplishing the same end — what one 

 would adopt, another rejects — and, after much experience, 

 strengthened by the observations of others, I have found 

 that more depends on quickness of eye in covering the 

 bird, and a simultaneous touch of the trigger, than in any 

 rule, as to distance, laid down by your correspondent. 

 The great mistake with many, which leads them to adopt 

 your correspondent's mode, is, that at the time of pulling 

 the trigger, they stop the swing of the gun, and thus shoot 

 behind the bird, whilst if the swing of the gun was kept 

 up in a ratio corresponding with the flight of the bird, and 

 trigger pulled when fairly covered, the result would ever 

 be found eflective, if within killing distance. When flint- 

 guns were in general use, the necessity of shooting in 

 advance was more obvious, as often times a considerable 

 interval elapsed from the pull of trigger to the discharge of 

 the gun; but, since the introduction of the percussion prin- 

 ciple, the discharge and effect are so simultaneous, that a 

 good eye and obedient hand are now only necessary. 



With regard to the effect of shot, when "heard to strike," 

 I would also take the liberty of dissenting; the very cir- 

 cumstance of the shot being heard to strike, is convincing 

 to my mind of a want of sufficient force to penetrate. This 

 may be illustrated by discharging the contents of a shot- 

 gun against a board fence, at a moderate distance; if the 

 striking of the shot can be heard, it will be found, on exami- 

 nation of tlie fence, that their force has been ineffectual, 

 but if, on the other hand, the action of the shot has been 

 silent, their power will be evidenced by the fact of their 

 penetration, in every part of the wood: it is the resistance 

 of the shot by the object, that causes their action to be 

 heard, and in no instance will they be found to be fatal, 

 when this is the case. 



By giving the foregoing observations a place in the Cabi- 

 net, you will oblige a 



Jan. 31, 1831. SPORTSMAN. 



AN EXTRAORDINARY WOLF HUNT. 



In the winter of 1815, I was called on with Capt. W 



by a neighbour, who had, the evening previous, seven sheep 

 killed, by a Wolf, to assist him in the destruction of this 

 animal. 



We were then residents of the village Deposit, in the 

 county of Delaware, state of New York, about one hun- 

 dred and fifty miles north of Philadelphia, and near the 



Pennsylvania line, and having the character of sportsmen, 

 we were often called upon for like excursions, and priding 

 ourselves as such, we never suffered any huntsmen of our 

 neighbourhood to excel us in the chase, nor to take the 

 lead when it depended on our individual exertions, having 

 assisted in the destruction of many bears, wolves, and 

 panthers, we were well known through the whole county, 

 which was ninety miles in length. 



In engaging in the above enterprise, we were aware 

 that we had difficulties to encounter of no ordinary cast, 

 and knowing that many of our most experienced huntsmen 

 had been in pursuit of this same Wolf repeatedly, without 

 success, we were ambitious to excel, and, accordingly, 

 entered into this engagement, with a determination to kill 

 him. 



It is worthy of remark, that this Wolf was well known 

 through the whole county for ten or twelve years, from 

 the circumstance of having lost three toes off his left fore 

 foot, by a steel trap, consequently, his track being different 

 from those of other wolves, he commonly went by the 

 name of the ''three-legged Wolf." The depredations com- 

 mitted by this animal were wonderful, as there was scarcely 

 a farm-house in the county that he had not visited, and 

 made havoc among their sheep, frequently destroying four- 

 teen in a single night; every thing which could be devised 

 for his destruction, was employed, but proved fruitless; he 

 had grown wise by experience, so that he avoided every 

 thing likely to entrap him, and had become so familiar 

 with the chase, as to elude his pursuers with the greatest 

 ease. About three weeks previous to our chase, this Wolf 

 entered the premises of Judge Pine, at Walton, and killed 

 for him nine sheep in one night; word was sent down at 

 that time with an invitation for us to join them that day in 

 order to destroy him. But knowing there were many pro- 

 fessed hunters in that place, we sent word by the express, 

 tliat " the}' must guard their own sheep, and if he came to 

 us we would guard ours." Accordingly, three of their 

 ablest hunters went in pursuit of him, and after a circuitous 

 chase of tiiree days, gave it up, and left him within ten 

 miles of the place where they first started, and the very 

 night after, the Wolf killed three sheep for one of the men 

 who was chasing him the previous day; this circumstance 

 discouraged them, and they relinquished the chase altoge- 

 ther. It is well known amongst hunters, that a Wolf can 

 withstand the utmost fatigue when he can find means to 

 satisfy his hunger, and no human power can tire him down: 

 but keep a Wolf constantly on the run, and out of tlie reach 

 of food, he soon tires, because, being of exceeding ravenous 

 disposition, his hunger returns quickly, and the means of 

 satisfying being kept out of his reach, he will grow weaker 

 and more weak, until he gives up with exhaustion; thus, 



