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POrTJLAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
the extinction of wolves in England by King Edgar, and in 
his work on British Dogs, published in 1570, treating of the 
sheep-dog ( Pastoralis ), he says : “ Sunt qui scribunt Lud- 
wallum Cambrice principem pendisse annuatim Edgaro regi 
300 luporum tributi nomine , atque ita annis quatuor omnem 
Cambriam , atque adeo omnem Angliam , orbasse lupis” 
“ Regnavit autem Edgarus circiter annum 959, a quo tem- 
pore non legimus nativum in Anglia visum lupum .” 
The worthy doctor seems to have been little aware that even 
at the date at which he wrote wolves still existed in the British 
Islands. Pennant, referring to the received opinion that a great 
part of the kingdom was freed from wolves through the ex- 
ertions of King Edgar, says : — “ In England he attempted to 
effect it by commuting the punishments for certain crimes into 
the acceptance of a number of wolves’ tongues from each 
criminal ; in Wales by converting a tax of gold and silver into an 
annual tribute of 300 wolves’ heads. Notwithstanding his 
endeavours, however, and the assertions of some authors to the 
contrary, his scheme proved abortive.”* 
We have lately met with a statement to the effect that “two 
wooden wolves’ heads still remain near Glastonbury on an 
ancient house where [query, on the site of which] at Eadgerly, 
King Eadger lived and received annually his tax from the 
Welsh in 300 heads.”f 
This statement, however, conflicts somewhat with that of 
Holinshed, who says that “ the carcases being brought into 
Lloegres, were buried at Wolfpit in Cambridgeshire.” J 
In the Forest Laws of Canute, promulgated in 1016, the 
wolf is thus expressly mentioned : — “ As for foxes and wolves, 
they are neither reckoned as beasts of the forest or of venery, 
and therefore whoever kills any of them is out of all danger 
of forfeiture, or making any recompense or amends for the 
same. Nevertheless, the killing them within the limits of the 
forest is a breach of the royal chase, and therefore the offender 
shall yield a recompense for the same, though it be but easy and 
gentle.”§ 
It was doubtless to this constitution that the Solicitor-General 
St. John referred, at the trial of the Earl of Strafford, when he 
said, “We give law to hares and deer, because they are beasts 
Seresium. 8vo. 1570. There is a translation of this work in the British 
Museum, entitled, “ Of Englishe Dogges, newly drawn into English.” By 
Abraham Fleming, Student. London. 4to. 1576. 
* “British Zoology,” Vol. i. p. 88 (1812). 
t “Sussex Archseol. Coll.” Vol. iv. p. 83 (1851). 
X “Chronicles,” Vol. i. p. 378 (4to. ed. 1807). 
§ See Man wood’s “ Forest Laws.” The Charter of the Forest of Canutus 
the Dane (§ 27). 
