HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 287 



" Affembling Wolves, in raging troops, defcend; 

 " And, pouring o'er the country, bear along, 

 *' Keen as the north wind fweeps the gloffy fnow : 

 " All is their prize."- ■ 



The Wolf has great ftrength, efpecially in the mufcles 

 of his neck and jaws : He can carry a Sheep in his 

 mouth, and eafily run off with it in that manner. His 

 bite is cruel and deadly, and keener as it meets with lefs 

 refiftance ; but when oppofed, he is cautious and circum- 

 fpe£t, and feldom fights but from neceffity. He is hard- 

 er and more robuft, but not fo fenfible as the dog. He 

 almoft inceffantly prowls about for prey, and of all ani- 

 mals is the molt difficult to conquer in the chafe. His 

 fenfe of fmelling is peculiarly ftrong : He fcents the 

 track of animals, and follows it with great perfeverance : 

 The odour of carrion ftrikes him at the diftance of near 

 a league. 



Wolves are capable of bearing want of food for a long 

 time. To allay their hunger, they will fometimes fill 

 their ftomachs with mud. — They have been known to 

 follow armies, and affemble in troops upon the field of 

 battle j tear up fuch bodies as have been carelefsly in- 

 terred, and devour them with infatiable avidity. 



In all ages the Wolf has been confidered as the moil 

 favage enemy of mankind, and rewards given for its 

 head. Various methods have been taken to rid the 

 world of this rapacious invader: Pit-falls, traps, and 

 poifon, have all been employed againft him ; and, hap- 

 pily for thefe iilands, the whole race has long been ex- 

 tirpated here. King Edgar attempted to effect it in Eng- 

 land by remitting the puniftiment of certain crimes on 

 producing a number of Wolves' tongues ; and in Wales, 

 the tax of gold and filver was commuted for an annual 

 tribute of Wolves' heads, — Some centuries after that, 



