OEDEE OP CAENIVOEA. 



399 



Wolf's step, as the saying is, to prey upon all weaker animal 

 life. The vision and hearing, but more particularly the sense 

 of smell in the "Wolf, are very fully developed. These faculties 

 are of great service in enabling it to obtain food and avoid 

 danger. 



When suffering from hunger it loses all caution, and becomes 

 a scourge to the farmers, and a source of danger even to Man. 

 In broad daylight, under such circumstances, without being 

 seen, it will draw near a flock of Sheep. Eluding the vigilance 

 of the Dogs, it will dart forward, seize a victim that it has 

 singled out, and bear it off with such velocity as often to defy 



Fig. 164.— Wolf cairying off a Sheep. 



pursuit. This exploit accomplished, it returns time after time to 

 the scene of its previous success, until destroyed or driven from 

 the neighbourhood. 



When it succeeds in obtaining entrance to a sheepfold, the 

 havoc it commits is fearful, for it makes a general massacre 

 among the inmates. The slaughter terminated, it carries away a 

 victim for immediate use. It afterwards takes a second, third, 

 and fourth, which it conceals in different places in the neighbour- 

 ing woods. Nor does it return to its retreat until daybreak, 

 devoting the last moments to secreting its booty. 



This craving for slaughter, preceding the act of hiding the 



