1894 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



937 



adapted for tho home of wild animals— no habi- 

 tations for miles ; wooded places and brush : 



little side-canyons, just enougli for their lurk- 

 ing places. Mr. Wilder had been playing the 

 deer-raciiet so much that he 

 began to hanl^er after other 

 game ; and right here, while 

 going up grade at a ruminat- 

 ing pace, he espied a coyote 

 shambling along, about 400 

 yards away. There was a 

 scramble for the rifle through 

 the little square window In 

 front of our wagon cover. 

 The coyote was very accom- 

 modating, and halted. Bang 

 went the rifle; a little puff of 

 cu^t a few inches below the 

 coyote led that animal to dig 

 his toe-nails into the ground, 

 and get away with lightning 

 rapidity. Another ball or two 

 followed him, but he escaped 

 into the brush. Mr. Wilder 

 regretted the escape, for ev- 

 ery coyote's scalp is worth 

 $.5.00. I consoled him by tell- 

 ing him that, in all Instances 

 where there was a bad be- 

 ginning, there was usually a 

 '} good ending; and, citing him 

 < to the bad beginning on deer, 

 said I, " We will get the next 

 :; coyote, just as tve did the 



deer." 

 "ire.'" says Mr. Wilder; 

 2 and such a bygone, scornful 

 '^ expression came over his face 

 i] that utterance was checked 

 5 for some little time. 



When we debouched from 

 the next canyon we entered 

 the Santa Margarita (Saint 

 Margaret) Valley. The chief 

 characteristics of this region 

 were the rolling nature of 

 the country, the number of 

 stock-ranches, and the num- 

 ber of horsewomen we en- 

 countered. They were dear 

 young women. Mr. Wilder 

 put on his eye-glasses (a habit 

 he has when he wishes to 

 bring out all of the salient 

 features of the landscape). 

 The first dear young lady had 

 been roping a cow, and was 

 leading it to the corral in tri- 

 umph. This pastoral scene 

 brought to mind a verse from 

 the poets. The indulgent par- 

 ent desired his daughter to 

 whistle. He said: 

 " Whistle, daufihter, wliistle. 

 And I'll fiive to .\<>u a cow." 

 She said, " 1 never wliist led, 

 And I can not whistle now."- 



