14 
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY 
had the day before prepared for just such an emergency by loading a 
couple of shells with two small buck-shot, in addition to the regular 
“dust shot” they contained which served as “packing.” By good 
fortune I had these two shells in my pocket. 
Hastily drawing in our hne we paddled rapidly but cautiously down 
river. We had not covered a quarter of the distance when the wolf 
disappeared from view, having, we feared, caught sight of us; for the 
slight breeze that was blowing was in our favor and there was httle 
likelihood that the animal had scented us at that distance. We never- 
theless continued towards the spot where it had last been seen and 
when about a hundred yards distant waited and listened. After what 
was perhaps not more than two or three minutes we were rewarded by 
the sound of rustling grass and bushes and the wolf burst into full view' 
directly in front of us. It was now loping, beating after the manner of 
a hunting-dog and clearly in search of small prey. A number of times 
as we watched it would turn and trot back a httle way to sniff and 
re-examine hurriedly some spot that it had just passed. Again it 
would make a short detour into the meadow and be lost from view for 
what seemed minutes, and each time this happened we feared it would 
not return ; but it always came rushing back to the water’s edge to con- 
tinue on its way, as if it had a definite destination toward which it was 
heading but could not resist the temptation . of a few side excursions 
en route. 
In the meantime we had been urging our canoe nearer and nearer 
and, by taking advantage of our opportunities when the wolf was for 
the moment concealed by the tall grass or pre-occupied with its inves- 
tigations, had by this time approached to within perhaps sixty or 
sixty-five yards. The wolf was in full view much of the time and 
it seemed that it must be only the matter of seconds before we should 
be detected. Two or three times the animal turned on its quartering 
course and came back a few steps almost directly toward us and I each 
time carefully laid down my paddle and raised the little gun ready to 
pull the trigger on the instant that the wolf should show signs of ' eeing 
us; for although there was not the slightest chance that two buck-shot 
might find a vital spot at that distance I felt that we ought not to 
deny ourselves what satisfaction we might get out of frightening the 
beast to the utmost of our ability. But the wolf turned and resumed 
its running hunt, its attention apparently concentrated upon the 
ground in its immediate proximity. 
