326 Field Museum of Natural History — Zoology, Vol. XL 



The Prairie Wolf, or Coyote, resembles the Timber Wolf, but is 

 smaller; and while they occasionally kill Calves, Colts and Sheep and 

 even full-grown Deer, the greater portion of their food consists of smaller 

 animals, such as Mice, Rabbits, frogs, birds and eggs, etc., as well as 

 dead fish and carrion of any kind. 



Unlike the Timber Wolf* the Coyote habitually barks, and in 

 localities where they are common their dog-like barking is a familiar 

 sound about the camp. They howl mostly at night, but they occasion- 

 ally do so on cloudy days or before a storm. They breed from early in 

 April until the middle of May (Bailey says April i to May 15, in western 

 United States) and the number of pups born in a litter varies from 4 to 

 9, generally 5 or 6. The den is usually a hole in the ground, either dug 

 by themselves or a burrow of some other animal which they enlarge, 

 although occasionally a natural cave is used, or in a wooded country 

 the base of a hollow tree. The pups when taken young are easily tamed 

 and make interesting pets. 



Specimens examined from Illinois, Wisconsin and adjoining states: 

 Wisconsin — Pembine, Marinette Co. (skull), i; (M. P. M.) Prairie du 



Sac, Sauk Co., 1 = 2. 

 Minnesota — Mankato, i; (B. S.) Elk River, 1 = 2. 

 Illinois — Geneva, Kane Co., i. (Northwestern Universit}^ collection.) 

 Iowa — Linn Co. (skulls), 2 (Coe College collection. Cedar Rapids.) 



* It is claimed that Timber Wolves bark at times. See Seton, Life Histories 

 of Northern Animals, II, 1909, p. 814. 



