THE WOLF. 



awakened. He bears hunger better than thirtt, and will live four or five 

 days without food, provided he is well fupplied with water. 



Hunting the Wolf is a favourite divert! on among the great men in lb me 

 countries, for which purpofe they ufe Greyhounds, which are let fly at him 

 in lealhes, one after the other. He defends himfelf well, threatens them on 

 all tides, and frequently efcapes, unlefs the hunters come in time to the 

 alii (lan ce of the Dogs, and difpatch him with their cutlafTes. He is alfo 

 frequently taken in pitfalls, where he is fo confounded, that he may be either 

 killed or taken alive without much danger, though at other times he enjoys 

 his fenfes in the highell degree of perfection. 



Wolves inhabit the continents of Europe, Aha, Africa, and America ; they 

 formerly abounded in Great Britain, but have long hnce been deftroyed. King 

 Edgar is faid to have been the fir ft who attempted to rid this kingdom of 

 them, by accepting a number of Wolves heads as a punhhment for certain 

 crimes (a). Notwithftanding which, they continued increaling till the time 

 of Edward I. when they again became the object of royal attention, and one 

 Peter Corbet was vetted with powers to fuperintend and affift in the 

 deftruction of them, till at length the breed was totally extirpated. They 

 were not entirely deltroyed in Ireland, till the year 1710, though their 

 Wolf-Dogs have been fo celebrated. 



The Wolf is fubjecl; to great variety of colour, difpohtion, and Hze, 

 according to the climate in which he is bred. Some are found quite black, 

 ibme white, and fome inclining to yellow. The Wolves of Senegal are much 

 larger and more favage than thofe found in Europe. Thofe of Egypt, on the 

 other hand, are fmaller and certainly not fo ferocious, for they are there taught 

 to dance and play anticks, which confer on them an imaginary value, being 

 often fold for four or five hundred crowns(B). 



No part of the Wolf is of ufe, except his Ikin and fur; he refpires a 

 moft foetid vapour ; and his fiem is univerfally diiliked. « In Ihort, every 

 way olFenhye, a favage afpecl:, a frightful howl, an infupportable odour, a 

 perverfe difpolltion, fierce habits, he is hateful while living, and ufelefs when 

 dead(c)." 



(a) Brit. Zoology, p. 62. (b) Goldfmith. (c) Buffon. 



