Wolf-Coursing 



occurs, and not until they have killed, torn or 

 mangled the entire flock will they return to 

 the mountains. Thus the wolves become a 

 scourge, and their depredations upon herds 

 of sheep and cattle cause no inconsiderable 

 loss to the rancher. They frequently plunder 

 for days and nights together. I am not pre- 

 pared to state whether it is owing to daintiness 

 of appetite or pure love of killing, but as it is a 

 fact that a single wolf has been known to kill 

 a hundred sheep in a night, it would seem that 

 this indiscriminate slaughter was more to satis- 

 fy his malignity than his hunger. It is a prev- 

 alent idea that the wolf will eat putrid meat. 

 This I have not found to be true. He seldom 

 if ever devours carcasses after they begin to 

 putrify, choosing to hunt for fresh spoils rather 

 than to return to that which he had half de- 

 voured, before leaving it to the tender mercies 

 of the coyotes, who have an appetite less nice. 

 The coyote is a good scavenger, following 

 in the footsteps of the wolf, and will pick 

 bones until they glisten like ivory. His 

 fondness for domestic fowl and his thieving 

 propensity often embolden him to enter farm- 

 yards and even residences during the daytime; 

 yet he often seems contented to dine upon 



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