THE WOLF. 



Although the Wolf is the moll gluttonous of quadrupeds, devouring even 

 his own Ipecies, when prefled by hunger, his rapacity does not exceed his 

 canning ; always fufpicious and mi fruitful, he imagines every thing he fees 

 is a fnare laid to betray him. If he find a Rein-Deer tied to a pott, to be 

 milked, he dares not approach, for fear the animal mould be placed there 

 only to entrap him ; but no fooner is the Deer fet at large, than he inftantly 

 purfues and devours it (a). 



The female produces five or fix, and fometimes even nine at a litter (b) ; 

 they are brought forth with the eye-lids clofed, and nouriftied with the 

 mother's milk for fome weeks ; when they acquire llrength, the teaches them 

 to eat flefh, by chewing it for them, and early inures them to llaughter, by 

 bringing birds or fmall animals, half dead, with which they are inttru&ed 

 to play as a Cat with a Moufe, till at laft the victims receive the coup 

 de grace, and are devoured. The cubs feldom quit the den till they are 

 near two months old, nor leave their dam till they have fhed their firfi: 

 teeth, and completed the neAV fet, which does not happen before they 

 attain the age of ten or twelve months. The mother, now confidering them 

 fufficiently trained in the means of defence, and capable of providing for 

 themfelves, deferts them, to bring up a new family. 



The Wolf fleeps as foon as he has filled his belly, or is fatigued, and for 

 this refrelhment he prefers the day to the night ; like the Dog, he is eafily 



an oyntment which they make by the inftinft of the divell : and putting on a certayne inchaunted girdle, doe 

 not only unto the view of others, feeme as Wolves, but to their own thinking have both the fhape and nature 

 of Wolves, fo long as they weare<the fayd girdle. And they doe difpofe themfelves as very Wolves, in 

 wourrying, and killing, and moft of humane creatures. 



" Of fuch, fundry have been taken, and executed in fundiy parts of Germany and the Netherlands. One 

 Peter Stump, for being a Were-Wolf, and having killed thirteen children, two women, and one man, was at 

 Bedbur, not farre from Cullen, in the yeere 1589, put unto a very terrible death. The flefli of divers parts 

 of his body was pulled out with hot iron tongs, his armes, thighes, and legges broken on a wheele, and his 

 body laftly burnt. He dyed with very great remorfe, detiring that his body might not be fpared from any 

 torment, fo his foule might be faved." Verfiigans Antiq, p. 237- 



It is not long fince the punifhment of death was infli&ed in this country, under the idea of witchcraft, 

 when confeffions of imaginary crimes were often extorted from the poor diffracted victims of this fatal 

 fuperftition. 



(a) Did. Raifon. (b) Buffon. 



