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WOLF-CATCHING.

IN former times, wolves were common in this country, the vast wild tracts and deep forests of Ancient Britain affording them shelter from the attempts of the people to exterminate them. The Saxon term for an outlaw

was,

"wolf

shed," implying that he might be killed with as much impunity as a wolf. At length, by commuting the punishment of criminals to a delivery of a given number of wolves' tongues, and taking the tribute of the Welsh in three hundred wolf-skins, delivered annually, this country was freed from these unwelcome guests.

The wolf is found throughout Europe, Asia, and North America; but it is more especially in mountain and forest

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districts that it prevails, where the population is scanty, and with a wide country around destitute of human dwellings. So suspicious and cautious is this animal, that it is extremely difficult to take it in traps. In the provinces of France that are infested with them, there exist "WolfSocieties," which pay a price on every animal killed, varying in amount according to its sex and age: but they have not been able to extirpate them.

In the month of January, when hunger is felt most keenly by them, they associate together and hunt in packs; so that travelling in some districts in France (if the weather is severe) becomes dangerous; and in Russia, they will gallop for miles after the drosky of him who ventures at dusk to cross its wide steppes. Lord Byron, in the poem of Mazeppa, has finely described a pack of them on the track of a fugitive.

"We rustled through the leaves like wind,
Left shrubs, and trees, and wolves behind;

By night I heard them on the track,
Their troop came hard upon our back,
With their long gallop, which can tire
The hound's deep hate, and hunter's fire:
Where'er we flew they follow'd on,
Nor left us with the morning's sun;
Behind I saw them, scarce a rood,

At day-break winding through the wood,
And through the night had heard their feet,
Their stealing, rustling step repeat.

Oh! how I wished for spear or sword,

At least to die amidst the horde,

And perish—if it must be so—

At bay, destroying many a foe."

Mr. Loyd narrates the following incident that occurred to a Russian peasant at no great distance from St. Petersburgh:-"The peasant was travelling home in his sledge, and was pursued by eleven of these voracious animals. At this time he was only two miles from home, towards which he urged his horse at the very top of his speed. At the entrance of his residence was a gate, which happened to be closed at the time; but the horse dashed this open, and

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