d ant-eater, as also the hollow ant-hills, for their
lairs and breeding places. Travellers passing across the plains of
South Africa have often witnessed the splendid spectacle of a pack of
these beautiful wild hounds in pursuit of a large antelope, and almost
fancied themselves looking at a stag hunt, with a kennel of real hounds
going at full view!

The true wild dog of all is that creature so well-known and celebrated
in all our tales of childhood--the _Wolf_.

To describe the wolf, or even to give an account of his habits, would be
superfluous. Almost every one is acquainted with the gaunt form, the
shaggy hide, and tierce aspect of this formidable creature; and every
one has heard of his fierce and savage disposition: for who is ignorant
of the story of "Little Red Riding Hood?"

The presence of this much-disliked animal is almost universal: by which
I mean, that in some form or other he is represented in almost every
corner of the globe. You may say there are no wolves in Africa; but
this is not true: for the hyenas are nothing more nor less than wolves,
and wolves of the very ugliest kind.

Fortunately wolves are no longer found in Britain, though they were once
plentiful enough in these islands; but all over the continent of Europe
there are still numerous wolves in the forests and mountains.

The Common Wolf, that is, the wolf of Europe, is the type of the family;
but this type offers many varieties--according to the different
localities in which it is found. I shall here notice these varieties.

French wolves are generally browner and smaller than those of Germany;
and the wolves of Russia, Sweden, and Norway are still stronger animals,
and of a more sinister appearance. These differ very much in colour,
which in winter is almost white. Again, the Alpine wolves are smaller
than the French, and of a brownish-grey colour; while those of Italy and
Turkey have a yellowish tinge. Black wolves are not uncommon,
especially in the Pyrenees of Spain; but whether these, as well as the
others, are all mere varieties of the common wolf, or whether there are
two or three distinct species of European wolf, are questions to be left
to the disputation of systematic naturalists.

Over all the continent of America, from the Arctic shores in the north
to Tierra del Fuego in the south, wolves are found; and here again there
are varieties in size, colour, and even habits, that may fairly entitle
the different kinds t