BABBIT TRACKS 149 



and driven into pens and slanglitered, very much after 

 the same fashion tliat the Indians trapped the Buffa- 

 loes. Thougli tiiis sounds cruel, it seems to be neces- 

 sary, if tlie great crops, that mean bread to the country, 

 are to be saved. Now, instead of merely killing the 

 Rabbits and letting the flesh go to waste, tliouglitful 

 sportsmen have made a plan to send them to nearby 

 cities to be food for the poor who can buy but little 

 meat." 



"Aren't there any other fourfoots out there to help 

 keep the Jacks down?" asked Rap. 



•' Yes, the Coyotes, or Prairie Wolves, used to feed 

 on them, but people found that these little Wolves 

 stole young calves and sheep, and they turned about 

 and* killed so many of them that the Jack Rabbits 

 laughed, shook their ears, and said, ' We are good 

 tilings, let us eat more and raise a great many children,' 

 and off the}^ whirled again. No other beast can run 

 like a Jack Rabbit ; the swiftest horse cannot overtake 

 him in a fair chase, and there is a famous race recorded 

 between a Jack and a greyliound, where the Hare dis- 

 tanced his pursuer for two miles and a lialf and then 

 hid in a log, leaving the hound quite spent. 



" Tlie result of tlie Jack Rabbits living as they pleased 

 and holding high carnival was a series of liunts in 

 Avhicli thousands were killed ; then the Coyotes in that 

 particular spot, liaving no Jacks to eat, took calves, 

 shee]). and poultry boldly, and so trouble for the farmer 

 and cattle raisers rolls along between the two animals. 

 What suits the ranchman does not suit tlie farmer, and 

 the end of the Avar is not yet in sight." 



"Perhaps an earthquake may swallow them all, — 



