WOLF-COURSING 105 



litters, the father seemingly had nothing to do with tak- 

 ing care of or supporting the family. I am not able to 

 say whether this was accidental or whether it is a rule, 

 that only the mother lives with and takes care of the lit- 

 ter; I have heard contrary statements about the matter 

 from hunters who should know. Unfortunately I have 

 learned from long experience that it is only exceptional 

 hunters who can be trusted to give accurate descriptions 

 of the habits of any beast, save such as are connected with 

 its chase. 



Coyotes are sharp, wary, knowing creatures, and on 

 most occasions take care to keep out of harm's way. But 

 individuals among them have queer freaks. On one oc- 

 casion while Sloan Simpson was on the round-up he 

 waked at night to find something on the foot of his 

 bed, its dark form indistinctly visible against the white 

 tarpaulin. He aroused a friend to ask if it could be a 

 dog. While they were cautiously endeavoring to find out 

 what it was, it jumped up and ran off; they then saw that 

 it was a coyote. In a short time it returned again, coming 

 out of the darkness toward one of the cowboys who 

 was awake, and the latter shot it, fearing it might have 

 hydrophobia. But I doubt this, as in such case it would 

 not have curled up and gone to sleep on Simpson's bed- 

 ding. Coyotes are subject to hydrophobia, and when 

 under the spell of the dreadful disease will fearlessly at- 

 tack men. In one case of which I know, a mad coyote 

 coming into camp sprang on a sleeping man who was 

 rolled in his bedding and bit and worried the bedding in 

 the effort to get at him. Two other men hastened to his 



