88 WATCHED BY WILD ANIMALS 



But off on the desert was a suspended lake 

 mirage. Two coyotes appeared just beneath 

 the near edge, their heads completely lost in 

 the mirage, their headless bodies walking 

 a most startling exhibit, even for a desert. 



The coyote has a peculiar mental make-up. 

 He has all the keen alertness of the wolf and 

 the audacious cunning of the fox. His fox-like 

 face at times takes on a serio-comic expression. 

 At other times he has a most expectant look as 

 he sits and watches, or listens, with head tilted 

 on one side and sharp ears pointing slightly 

 forward. He has actions, characteristics, and 

 attitudes that make him excel even the fox 

 for the purpose of fable making. 



There are numerous Indian myths concern- 

 ing the coyote; in fact, he takes the place the 

 fox has in primitive European folklore. Nu- 

 merous tribes pay the coyote tribute in daily 

 food. Their belief accredits him with the au- 

 dacity and the cunning to seize fire from forbid- 

 den sources and deliver this enduring comfort 

 to the fireless red men. Among most Indian 

 tribes he is regarded with favour. Many Indian 

 dogs are descendants of the coyote. 



The coyote is a small, fleet-footed, keen- 

 witted animal, tawny or yellowish brown in 

 colour. He is, of course, a wolf; but he is only 

 a little more than half the weight of his large 



