462 BIG GAME OP NORTH AMERICA. 



such, a wild, weird, clear- sounding, musical performance as 

 that with which I was favored on the morning in question, 

 I have never since heard. 



The "angry growl" attributed to the Wolf by the nov- 

 elist and the literary story-teller — who possibly never saw 

 or heard one, and knows, perhaps, as little, either practi- 

 cally or theoretically, about the animal as the generality of 

 ordinary writers do about the correct mode of writing the 

 Tipperary idiom — is just as far from the natural habit 

 of the Wolf as is its capacity for playing the Highland 

 bagpipe. 



Talking of the bagpipe, I once read an account of a 

 benighted piper in an American forest who was surrounded 

 by Wolves, and, as a last resort, he struck up "The Camp- 

 bells are Coming," and the result was that the Wolves 

 took flight as if pursued by a prairie-fire. Neither Lion, 

 Tiger, Wolf, Jaguar, or Grizzly Bear could face, for one 

 minute, the charge of a Highland piper in full blast with 

 the pibroch. 



Personally, if accompanied by two thorough-bred Bull- 

 terriers of good size, and armed with a Winchester repeat- 

 ing-rifle, I should be delighted at any time, in daylight, to 

 pay my respects to six of the largest Wolves in America. 



About twelve years ago, the hunting-party to which I 

 have the honor to belong was encamped on the bank of 

 Bear Brook, about twelve miles from Ottawa. It was during 

 a very cold time, in the month of December — a fact which I 

 distinctly remember, in consequence of having to cut a large 

 supply of birch stove-wood to keep the tent warm. 



During our stay in camp, on one occasion, about mid- 

 night, we were awakened by the howling of Wolves near at 

 hand, accompanied by a noise like that made by a large 

 animal jumping through the snow. Rifles were grasped, but 

 the noise suddenly ceased, and all again became still. By 

 the tracks found in the snow, next morning, we learned that 

 a large buck had run within less than twenty feet of the 

 back of our tent, and had then turned aside. Upon follow- 

 ing the tracks of the Deer a short distance, the foot-prints 



