32 THE PEAIRIE-WOLF. 



poisoned by means of a dead carcass or meat left about for them, 

 treated with strychnine. Aassafoetida is often rubbed in to make the 

 bait more attractive, as the Prairie-Wolf is very fond of the odour of the 

 last-named substance. 



It is a very common animal in Texas, and thence westwards to the 

 coast. Dr. Kennerly is quoted by Baird as saying that it is not very 

 swift, and can be readily overtaken on the open plains by a horse of 

 ordinary fleetness. He adds: "I have never known it attack the 

 larger quadrupeds. It seems to depend mostly for subsistence in the 

 desert region in hunting rabbits, rats, young birds, &c. I have never 

 known it to attack a man, unless wounded, when it defends itself with 

 fierceness and desperation." It may, however, be killed by a single 

 good-sized dog, although it has been known to make a very good fight 

 against three. In the time of Richardson (1829) it was common on 

 the plains of Missouri and Saskatchewan, the animals starting from the 

 earth in great numbers on hearing the report of a gun, gathering round 

 in expectation of getting the offal of some slaughtered animal. 



Dr. Frantzius has expressed an opinion that it has only become an 

 inhabitant of Central America in recent times. Towards the south of 

 that region it seems of late to have much increased in numbers, and he 

 thinks it probable that it only immigrated from the North after the 

 invasion of the Spaniards had destroyed the polity and diminished the 

 population of the semi-civilized states which were conquered by them. 



The Prairie-Wolves breed in retreats among rocks or underground 

 burrows. The young are born in May and June, and number five or 

 six in a litter, and, it is said, sometimes ten. These animals breed 

 readily with domestic dogs. 



Our illustration (Plate IX.) is taken from an individual living in the 

 Zoological Society's collection. 



The colour of the Prairie-Dog is said by Coues to vary somewhat with 

 the season, from a rather bright tawny brown in summer, to greyish 

 or quite grey in winter, overlaid, in either case, with a clouding of 

 black. This black tint is not uniform, but tends to form stripes along 

 the back and across the shoulders and hips. The underparts are dingy 

 white. The upper surface of the muzzle, the outside of the ears and of 



