THE CLOWN OF THE PRAIRIES 89 



relative, the gray wolf. Originally he was 

 scattered over most of North America. Though 

 scientifically classified into a number of species 

 and sub-species, they are very much alike in 

 colour and habit. 



The home range of the coyote is rarely ten 

 miles across, except on the margin of moun- 

 tains where sometimes it is twice this. In many 

 localities a pair will have three or four square 

 miles to themselves; in other localities there are 

 a few pairs to the square mile. 



Coyotes probably mate for life. A pair 

 commonly hunt together, though each often 

 hunts alone. They are said to live from eight 

 to fifteen years. I kept track of one for eight 

 years, who appeared mature when I first met 

 him and showed no signs of decay when I saw 

 him last. 



The coyote usually lies up in a den when not 

 hunting; but at times he simply hides in under- 

 brush or in ravines. A den I measured lay 

 nearly four feet below the surface and had a 

 length of fourteen feet. It was expanded into a 

 room-like place near the farther end and there 

 were a number of small pockets extending from 

 it. The den may be made by the coyotes them- 

 selves or it may be the den of a badger which 

 they have re-shaped. Occasionally they take 

 advantage of cave-like places between large 



