126 HUNTING TRIPS 



just about the time the last of the flocks were 

 flying away from their feeding-ground on 

 the bottom. I trudged along on foot, not 

 wanting to be bothered by a horse. The air 

 was fresh and cool, though the cloudless sky 

 boded a hot noon. As I walked by the cat- 

 tle they stopped grazing and looked curi- 

 ously at me, for they were unused to seeing 

 any man not on horseback. But they did 

 not offer to molest me ; Texan or even north- 

 ern steers bred on the more remote ranges 

 will often follow and threaten a footman for 

 miles. While passing among the cattle it 

 was amusing to see the actions of the little 

 cow buntings. They were very familiar lit- 

 tle birds, lighting on the backs of the beasts, 

 and keeping fluttering round their heads as 

 they walked through the grass, hopping up 

 into the air all the time. At first I could 

 not make out what they were doing ; but on 

 watching them closely saw that they were 

 catching the grasshoppers and moths which 

 flew into the air to avoid the cattle's hoofs. 

 They are as tame with horsemen ; while rid- 



