42-0 Game of Europe, W. & N. Asia & America 



wolves, cats, weasels, and other groups as 'species' whose range violates 

 the laws of geographic distribution. " 



To this it may be replied that the so-called laws of geographical 

 distribution must tit themselves to the facts, and not the facts be made to 

 accord with the " laws. ' And it seems preferable from every point of view 

 to regard the various local modifications of the coyote type as so many 

 phases of a single animal rather than as distinct animals, or species. This, 

 however, is ot course merely a matter of individual opinion. 



Compared with tlie various modifications of the common wolf, the 

 coyote is a slender, lithe, graceful, and smaller animal. The general plan 

 ot coloration has been so well described by Dr. Merriam that a paraphrase 

 ot his diagnosis may be quoted. Except in the pallid desert forms, in 

 which the fulvous tints are replaced by bufi", the muzzle, back of the 

 ears, outer side, and in some cases the whole, of the limbs, and the terminal 

 half of the lower side of the tail, are fulvous. The ground-colour of the 

 back likewise varies from butf, or even from bufiish white, in the desert 

 forms, to dull fulvous in the South Mexican race ; the relative preponder- 

 ance of black-tipped hairs being usually dependent upon the intensity of 

 the ground-colour. The upper surface of the tail is coloured like the back, 

 but shows at about one-third the length from the root an elongated black 

 spot, marking the position of the gland situated here in all members of 

 the dog tribe. The tail-tip is always black, although occasionally it may 

 contain a tutt ot white hair. In all cases the dog coyote is superior in size 

 to his partner. 



As the coyote is only admitted on sufi^erance among " game animals," a 

 very brief reference to its habits must suffice. These are generally similar 

 to those ot the larger wolves, although the coyote much more frequently 

 constructs a burrow for itself. Its cry is a howl, difl-ering markedly in tone 

 from that of the common wolf The speed of the coyote is great. Its 

 tood consists chiefly in ordinary seasons of various kinds of hares, but 



