The Wolf. 41 
much in Yorkshire, that a retreat was built at Flixton, 
to defend passengers from their attacks. They infested 
Ireland many centuries after their extinction in Eng- 
land : the last presentment for killing Wolves was made 
in the county of Cork about the year 1710. They abound 
in the immense forests of Germany, and they are also 
found in considerable numbers in the South of France. 
Everywhere that they are wild, so great is the general 
detestation of this destructive creature, that all other 
animals endeavour to avoid it. In a state of captivity, 
however, the Wolf is remarkably anxious to attract the 
attention of man, and rubs itself against the bars of its 
cage when noticed. Indeed, the Wolf is by no means so 
untractable as is frequently supposed ; but his temper is 
rather uncertain, and his destructive habits lender him 
a dangerous pet. A curious instance of combined doci- 
lity and destructiveness is related by Mr. Lloyd, which, 
as it also illustrates the cunning of this animal, we 
adduce here. Mr. Lloyd says — " I once had serious 
thoughts of training a fine female Wolf in my possession 
as a pointer ; but was deterred, owing to the penchant 
she exhibited for the neighbours' pigs. She was chained 
in a little enclosure, just in front of my window, into 
which those animals, when the gate happened to be left 
open, ordinarily found their way. The devices the 
Wolf employed to get them in her power, were very 
amusing. When she saw a pig in the vicinity of her 
kennel, she, evidently with the purpose of putting him 
off his guard, would throw herself on her side or back, 
wag her tail most lovingly, and look innocence personi- 
fied. And this amiable demeanour would continue 
until the grunter was beguiled within the length of her 
tether, when, in the twinkling of an eye, the prey was 
clutched." The Wolf is sometimes affected with mad- 
ness, in symptoms and consequences exactly similar to 
that which affects the dog ; but this disease, as it gene- 
rally happens in the depth of winter, cannot be attri- 
buted to the great heat of the dog-days. In the northern 
parts of the world, wolves are said, frequently, in the 
spring, to get upon the fields of ice adjoining the sea, for 
the purpose of preying upon the young seals, which 
