218 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



also a cunning huntsman, and lays his own traps and 

 chases Antelope on the plains ; yet to-day there is 

 hatred between the tAvo tribes, and, if a hungry Timber 

 AVolf meets his little brother, he will often eat him ! 



" Look at that Coyote skin on the settle; you can see 

 it is of a finer texture than this Gray Wolf robe. It is 

 softly furred, a dark ripple running from head to tail 

 and across the brindled shoulders, it has white lips, a 

 rusty face, and a black tip to the tail, and measures a 

 full tail lengtli shorter than this Gray AVolf's pelt. 

 The Coyote is little more than a vagabond Avild dog, 

 who barks and liowls around the edges of settlements, 

 licking his lips when a lamb bleats or a cock crows. 



" When the Buffalo herds blackened the plains, the 

 Gray Wolves lived by following them, snatching the 

 calves or killing the wounded and feeble old ones. 

 Then great bands of Deer, Elk, Antelope, furnished 

 them with food at all seasons ; for Wolves with their 

 spreading feet could follow these heavy, sharp-hoofed 

 beasts over the deep snow, through which tliey sank, 

 and, spent and overcome, soon became the Wolves' 

 prey. 



" As the country w^as settled, the Wolves crept back ; 

 for whether the Indian's tale was true or not, a spell 

 seemed to prevent their killing men. Gun, trap, and 

 poison were all turned at the Wolves, who were also 

 chased with dogs ; but still they worked mischief among 

 horses, flocks, and herds, and still the cry among the 

 frontiersmen was ' Wolf ! Wolf I how shall we destroy 

 him ? ' 



" Wolves have another fault besides sneak hunting, 

 they break Nature's law, ' Take what jq need to eat,' 



