58 
rorULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
In Athelstan s reign, wolves abounded so in Yorkshire that a 
retreat was built by one Acehorn, at Flixton,near Filey, in that 
county, wherein travellers might seek refuge if- attacked by 
them. 
Camden says : — “ More inward stands Flixton, where a hos- 
pital was built in the time of Athelstan, for defending travellers 
from wolves (as it is word for word in the public records) that 
they -should not be devoured by them.”* * * § When Athelstan, in 
938, obtained a signal victory at Brunanburgh over Constantine, 
King of Wales, he imposed upon him a yearly tribute of gold, 
silver and cattle, to which was also added a certain number of 
“hawks and sharp-scented dogs, fit for the hunting of wild 
beasts.”f His successor, Edgar, remitted the pecuniary pay- 
ment on condition of receiving annually from Ludwall J (or 
Idwal§), the successor of Constantine, the skins of three 
hundred wolves. || We do not find, indeed, that the hawks and 
hounds were included in this new stipulation, but it does not 
seem reasonable that Edgar, who, like his predecessor, was ex- 
tremely fond of field sports, should have remitted that part of 
the tribute.lf 
It is generally admitted that Edgar relinquished the fine of 
gold and silver imposed by his uncle Athelstan upon Con- 
stantine, and claimed in its stead the annual production 
of 300 wolf-skins, because, say the historians, the extensive 
woodlands and coverts, abounding at that time in Britain, 
afforded shelter for the wolves, which were exceedingly numerous, 
and especially in the districts bordering upon Wales. By this 
prudent expedient, in less than four years, it is said, the whole 
island was cleared from these ferocious animals, without putting 
his subjects to the least expense.** But, as Strutt has ob- 
served, “ if this record be taken in its full latitude, and the 
supposition established, that the wolves were totally extermi- 
nated in Britain during the reign of Edgar, more will certainly 
be admitted than is consistent with the truth, as certain docu- 
ments clearly prove.” The words of William of Malmsbury 
* Camden, “ Britannia,” tit. Yorkshire, vol. ii. p. 902 (2nd ed.). 
t William of Malmsbury, “ Hist. Beg. Anglorum,” lib. ii. c. 6. 
X Cf. Holinshed’s “ Chronicles,” Yol. i. p. 378 (4to. ed. 1807). 
§ Cf. Camden's “ Britannia,” tit. Merionethshire, tom. ii. p. 785. 
|| William of Malmsbury, op. cit. lib. ii. c. 8. 
^1 Strutt, ‘‘ Sports and Pastimes of the People of England.” 
* * It is singular that the same expedient has been resorted to in modern 
times, and with considerable success. In the accounts of Assinniboia, Bed 
Biver Territory, there is an entry of payment for wolves’ heads ; and in 1868 
the State of Minnesota paid for wolves’ scalps 11,300 dollars, at the rate of 10 
dollars apiece. 
tt ‘‘ Sports and Pastimes of the English People.’ 
