COYOTE 75 



but one frightened squawk. Seemingly the coyote held the head and breast 

 of the bird both at once in its jaws; also he so held it that it could not 

 flap its wings; and he quickly and quietly bore it out of sight. 



The majority of the Mountain Coyotes trapped are relatively young, 

 for it is of course the younger, less experienced individuals that most easily 

 fall victims to the trapper's skill. Some individuals may be trapped 

 yet escape, and these probably carefully shun traps and bait thereafter. 

 Removal of even a small number of the younger coyotes, however, gives 

 the others a greater chance for survival since there are fewer to use 

 up the available food supply. Those Mountain Coyotes who, made wise 

 ('educated') through experience, survive their various enemies, grow to 

 unusually large size and probably attain to ages far above the average 

 for the species. These particularly old, large, and crafty individuals some- 

 times live in a locality for years and become well known to the residents 

 of the region. One such animal was reported to us in 1915 to be living 

 in the vicinity of Sweetwater Creek. These large individuals of the 

 Mountain Coyote are the present day "wolves" of the Yosemite region. 

 No true wolf is known to have occurred anywhere in middle California 

 since about 1870. 



The most usual utterance to be heard from coyotes is a rapid series of 

 rather high pitched barking notes, interspersed with shrill wails, the whole 

 continued for several seconds at a time. Trapped animals have been heard 

 to give low growls and snarls, and we may infer that these weaker notes 

 are used by the coyotes when in the wild, either toward others of their 

 kind, or when alone and pvirsuing prey. The voice of the Mountain Coyote, 

 as usually heard, is deeper toned than that of the Valley species, and so 

 much more voluminous that to one observer it suggested comparison with 

 a steam whistle. There is less of the high-pitched wailing, or squealing, 

 in the voice of the Mountain Coyote, and its howling is therefore more like 

 that of a large domestic dog. The barking choruses are most often heard 

 in early morning or late evening ; sometimes they are given during the 

 night, especially when it is moonlight, but they are rarely heard during 

 the middle of the day. Often, when one animal, or a pair, calls, others 

 in the vicinity will answer. Thus, at Williams Butte, on September 18, 

 1915, at 5 :40 a.m., one or more coyotes off to the south began baying. 

 These were answered by others nearby, and then the animals called back 

 and forth for some time. At 9:30 a.m. the same day, in broad sunlight, 

 others were heard, and at 7 :15 p.m. there was another chorus. Loud noises 

 sometimes start coyotes barking. On the night of Julj^ 28, 1915, at Tenaya 

 Lake, two burros brayed, whereupon coyotes in the neighborhood set up 

 a succession of calls. 



