44 ANIMALS OP NORTH AMERICA. 



that some naturalists believe it to be the original parent of 

 that animal. 



On the great western plains of Missouri these animals 

 abound to an incredible extent. They also occur, but more 

 sparingly, in all the north-western portions of this continent, 

 from Hudson Bay to the Rocky Mountains. Their food 

 consists chiefly of rabbits, and such other small animals as 

 live on the prairies. This species also congregates in packs 

 for the purpose of hunting deer and young bisons ; and like 

 all others of the wolf family they are extremely cunning and 

 rapacious ; not even the fox has more intuitive sagacity in 

 avoiding traps or snares. A member of Major Long's ex- 

 pedition had a strong desire to possess himself of one of these 

 animals alive. He therefore set a trap, of the kind known to 

 boys under the name of " figure four," similar to those used 

 for rabbits, but in size proportionate to that of the animal. 

 First he laid down a plank floor about six feet long, and 

 over this set his trap of the same length, one end being 

 elevated about three feet, like an inclined plane. The bait 

 of meat, attached to what is called the spindle of the trap, 

 was placed in the middle of the floor, and this being touched, 

 the trap would fall and catch the wolf, if indeed he was 

 there. 



Now for the result. It is very unlikely that a prairie wolf 

 had ever seen such a trap, and yet, instead of going under 

 and taking the meat, these cunning brutes actually dug a hole 

 beneath the platform, and lifting up the boards, possessed 

 themselves of the bait, sprang the trap, and of course escaped 

 unhurt. A large steel trap, which being trod on catches the 

 foot, was next tried. This was well baited, and covered with 

 leaves. But although their tracks showed that the wolves 

 had visited the place during the night, the bait was untouch- 

 ed. The bait was then hung over the trap, and pieces of 

 meat suspended from limbs of trees in the vicinity in the 

 same manner, so that the trap, being covered with leaves, no 



