and a portion of this drug thrown into it, so as to
saturate the atmosphere with the odour, the wolves,
if any are within the reach of the scent, immediately
assemble around, howling in the most mournful manner;
and such is the remarkable fascination under which
they seem to labour, that they will often suffer themselves
to be shot down rather than quit the spot. Of
the very few instances of their attacking human beings
of which we have heard, the following may serve to
give some idea of their habits. In very early
times, a Negro man was passing in the night in the
lower part of Kentucky from one settlement to another.
The distance was several miles, and the country over
which he travelled entirely unsettled. In the
morning, his carcass was found entirely stripped of
flesh. Near it lay his axe, covered with blood,
and all around, the bushes were beaten down, the ground
trodden, and the number of foot-tracks so great, as
to show that the unfortunate victim had fought long
and manfully. On following his track, it appeared
that the wolves had pursued him for a considerable
distance; and that he had often turned upon them and
driven them back. Several times they had attacked
him, and been repelled, as appeared by the blood and
tracks. He had killed some of them before the
final onset, and in the last conflict had destroyed
several; his axe was his only weapon. The prairie
wolf is a smaller species, which takes its name
from its habits, or residing entirely upon the open
plains. Even when hunted with dogs, it will make
circuit after circuit round the prairie, carefully
avoiding the forest, or only dashing into it occasionally
when hard pressed, and then returning to the plain.
In size and appearance this animal is midway between
the wolf and the fox, and in colour it resembles the
latter, being of a very light red. It preys upon
poultry, rabbits, young pigs calves, &c. The
most friendly relations subsist between this animal
and the common wolf, and they constantly hunt in packs
together. Nothing is more common than to see
a large, black wolf in company with several prairie
wolves. I am well satisfied that the latter is
the jackall of Asia. Several years ago, an agricultural
society, which was established at the seat of government,
offered a large premium to the person who should kill
the greatest number of wolves in one year. The
legislature, at the same time offered a bounty for
each wolf-scalp that should be taken. The consequence
was, that the expenditure for wolf-scalps became so
great, as to render it necessary to repeal the law.
These animals, although still numerous, and troublesome
to the farmer, are greatly decreased in number, and
are no longer dangerous to man. We know of no
instances in late years of a human being having been
attacked by wolves.
* * * * *
CEDAR TREES.
There are now growing on the grounds of Greenfield Lodge, two cedar trees of the immense height of 150 feet; the girth of one is 11 ft. 7 in. and its branches extend 50 feet; the girth of the other is 8 ft. 7 in.—Chester Chronicle.