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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
Bere and Irwell, and many others are on record as former 
strongholds of these ferocious animals. To these we shall 
have occasion to refer later when dealing with the historical 
evidence. 
Unlike other extinct British animals, the wolf apparently has 
not deteriorated in size, for the fossil bones which have been 
discovered, as above mentioned, are not larger, nor in any way 
to be distinguished from those of European wolves of the pre- 
sent day. 
Historical Evidence— England. 
Ancient British Period . — Dio Nicseus, an ancient author, 
speaking of the inhabitants of the northern parts of this island, 
tells us they were a fierce and barbarous people, who tilled no 
ground, but lived upon the depredations they committed in the 
southern districts or upon the food they procured by hunting. 
Strabo also says (lib. iv.) that the dogs bred in Britain were 
highly esteemed upon the Continent on account of their excel- 
lent qualities for hunting, and these qualities, he seems to hint, 
were natural to them, and not the effect of tutorage by their 
foreign masters. Hunting the wolf appears to have been a 
favourite pursuit with these ancient Britons. Mempricius, who 
is supposed to have reigned B.c. 980, fell a victim in that 
year to the wolves which he delighted to pursue, and was unfor- 
tunately devoured by them. Blaiddyd, another British monarch 
(b.c. 863), who seems to have been learned in chemistry, is said 
to have discovered the medicinal properties of the Bath mineral 
waters, by observing that cattle when attacked and wounded by 
the wolves went and stood in these waters, and were then healed 
much sooner than they would have been by any other means.* 
From this it may be inferred that wolf-hunting was found by 
the ancient Britons to be a necessary and pleasurable, yet 
dangerous, pursuit. 
We do not find, says Strutt, f that during the establishment 
of the Romans in Britain, there were any restrictive laws promul- 
gated respecting the killing of game. It appears to have been 
an established maxim in the early jurisprudence of that people, 
to invest the right of such things as had no master with those 
who were the first .possessors. Wild beasts, birds, and fishes 
became the property of those who first could take them. It is 
* For this note we are indebted to Mr. John Hoare, who is at present 
engaged on a most interesting work called “ Annals of the Chase in the 
British Islands,” and who has kindly favoured us with a sight of such 
portions of his MSS. as relate to the wolf. 
t “ Sports and Pastimes of the People of England.” 
