68 



MAMMALS OF AMERICA 



ing the day one was in almost every extensive 

 weed patch or growth of rank marsh grass, 

 ready to pick up the turkeys and chickens which 

 strayed too far from the ranch buildings. Coy- 

 otes have been seen catching Meadow Mice 

 and playing with them like a cat. 



Mr. Ernest Ingersoll, in the Popular Science 

 Monthly, gives this personal description of a 

 Coyote attacking a mother Antelope and her 

 fawn : " I remember at a place where I was 

 encamped for two or three nights in south- 

 western Wyoming, the rough ledge of a butte- 

 face just across the creek was the home of a 

 family of these Wolves, and I often saw the 

 mother lying at the mouth of their den, and the 

 four whelps gleefully romping in the sunshine. 

 The father of the family kept out of view at 

 first; but later I caught sight of him in pursuit 

 of a doe Antelope and her fawn. The doe was 

 backing away over the plain, keeping the little 

 one, which seemed to understand its part per- 

 fectly, close to her hind legs. Following her 

 closely ran the Wolf, often making a dash to 

 the right or left to get at the fawn ; but each 

 time the brave little mother, whisking alertly, 

 would present to him her lowered head and make 

 a dash at his skull with her sharp fore-hoofs. 

 Thus she retired, but I fancy that the pursuer's 

 longer breath and varied tactics won the day." 



The nocturnal prowlings, secretive disposi- 

 tion, and remarkable craftiness of the Coyote, 

 together with the annoyance it has the power to 

 inflict, cause it to figure prominently in the myths 

 and religious history of the Indians of the far 

 West. The Indians give this annual a curious 

 position in their legends, some paying him high 

 honor for his cunning, while others give him a 

 low place because of his cowardliness. In some 

 of these folk-lore tales he is called " Old Man 

 Coyote," and varied are his advantures. 



" In parts of the West where fruit growing 

 and farming are dominant industries," says. Dr. 

 A. K. Fisher, " it may be wise to encourage Coy- 

 otes and Bobcats within certain limits, provided 

 poultry and sheep are properly protected at night. 

 Numerous ranchmen and fruitgrowers have 

 learned by experience that these animals, if 

 unmolested, will free their premises from rab- 

 bits and other crop or tree destroyers. Where 

 Coyotes have been allowed to do their work 

 thoroughly, they are fully appreciated, and many 

 ranchers would almost as soon shoot their own 

 dogs and cats as their wild benefactors. The 

 Coyote feeds on large insects, as May beetles, 

 crickets and grasshoppers, and accomplishes 

 much good." 



The skin of the Coyote is not very valuable, 

 being worth, in raw state, about seven dollars. 



Other Names.— Timber Wolf, Buffalo Wolf. 



General Description. — A large dog-like animal, the 

 male reaching a weight of lOO pounds. Nose rather 

 elongate and pointed. Ears moderately high, erect, 

 pointed. Tail of medium length, bushy. Legs powerful 

 and feet large. Hair long and coat heavy. Predom- 

 inating colors of pelage gray and black with whitish 

 gray below. Claws horn color. Eyes straw-colored. 



Dental Formula. — Same as given for Coyote. 



Pelage. — .Adults : Sexes similar ; seasonal variation 

 slight. Great range of individual variation in color. 

 Gray or black, sometimes brownish gray or brownish 

 white; many of the hairs black-tipped making irregular 

 wavy black markings which are heaviest in the middle 

 of the back ; underfur dusky. Underparts and sides 

 whitish gray, paler beneath ; face gray ; ears rather 

 fulvous. Tail gray with black markings like back. 

 Outside of legs somewhat fulvous, inside like under 

 parts. Young : Grayer throughout than adults. 



Measurements. — Length, male, 5 feet, 2 inches ; tail, 

 i5 inches ; height at shoulder, 27 inches ; weight 75 to 

 105 pounds. Female, length, 4 feet, yVi inches; tail, 12 

 inches ; height at shoulder, 25 inches ; weight, 55 to 80 

 pounds. 



Range. — In general the Great Plains region. 



GRAY WOLF 



Canis nubilis (.S'ay) 



Food. — A meat-eater preying, at times, on almost all 

 of the other animals of the region in which it lives. 

 Principal diet mice, hares, squirrels, deer, the young 

 of elk and moose, and in settled districts domestic 

 cattle, horses and sheep. 



Remarks. — The status of the wolf classification is 

 shrouded with some uncertainty, and authorities are not 

 agreed as to the exact number of species to make, or 

 what their ranges should be. The following arrange- 

 ment of related species is something of a compromise 

 on the best sources. 



Related Species 



Gray Wolf, Timber Wolf, or Buffalo Wolf.— Caii!.!- 

 nubilis (Say). The typical form, described above. 

 First taken near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Definite range 

 not determined. 



Gray Wolf, or Timber Wolf. — Ca)iis occidcntalis 

 (Richardson). Shares with the above species the com- 

 mon names of Gray Wolf and Timber Wolf. Size 

 very large, color usually light, white to grizzled gray. 

 Color variable sometimes through different degrees of 

 gray to all black. Doubtfully distinct, according to 

 some writers, from Old World Wolf, lupus. Canada 

 from plains of the Saskatchewan to Arctic Coast. 



