138 



THE DOG TRIBE. 



once combined for any enterprise against 

 other animals which are capable of defending 

 themselves, they lend each other aid. It is 

 said that they devour their dead and wounded 

 comrades, but other observers deny that they 

 have these cannibal habits. Perhaps this 

 difference of opinion is due to the fact that 

 the wolf behaves differently in different situa- 



tions. The hunger of the wolf has beco 

 proverbial, and the wolf is not the o 

 animal in which hunger can materially f 

 judice love to one's neighbour. 



The wolf kills more than his hunger 

 quires, at least more than is necessary for 

 immediate wants, but not beyond what 

 necessary to satisfy the future demands of 



i'ig. 57. — 'rhc Afiican Wolf {Cauis hipaster). 



appetite, which he Eilways takes prudently 

 into consideration ; for what he cannot eat 

 to-day he can perhaps consume in eight or ten 

 days. He devours everything, both fresh 

 meat and carrion, and even manifests a 

 preference for the latter. Mammals and 

 birds, reptiles and amphibians, and even the 

 dried stockfish of northern lands, seem to 

 come all alike to his little-spoiled palate. It 

 is even said that when hard pressed by hunger 

 he does not despise maybugs, or pumpkins, 

 or fresh heads of maize. For domestic dogs 

 and foxes, his nearest blood relations, the 

 wolf appears to have a peculiar relish, and 

 the former repay the hatred which he owes 

 them in full measure. In pastoral countries 



bands of wolves attack not only sheep 

 goats, which are their ordinary victims, 

 even considerable herds of cattle and hor 

 from which they try to separate a single 

 dividual in order to overwhelm it by a c 

 bined attack. In other parts the wolves c 

 mit great ravages among game, attacl 

 even the moose and the wild boar. In 

 North they follow the migrations of 

 lemmings; in the mountains they endea^ 

 to break into stables and inclosures. 



Where wolves are abundant they bec' 

 a real plague through the ravages which 1 

 commit among flocks and herds, and espec 

 sheep, as well as through their attacks 

 man. Anions' undomesticated animals 1 



o 



