ON WILD LIFE TRAILS 119 



after being driven off by hunters. A few days 

 later I saw these flocks meet on a high plateau. 

 They stopped to visit. Then one flock turned 

 back with the other and both edged over to an 

 outlook rim of the plateau where I left them, 

 racing and playing in the on-coming darkness. 



In numberless places I saw a single wild 

 fellow meet his species. Two coyotes advanced 

 bristling and passed snarling. Another time 

 two coyotes met, eyed, and then turned off 

 in the woods together. Two wild cats ad- 

 vanced with declaration of war, made the 

 forest aisles hideous with whoops and threats, 

 struck attitudes which go with blood and gore 

 but nothing happened. Two squirrels ap- 

 proached, each loudly demanding the right- 

 of-way. They blustered, backed-up, threatened, 

 raced tempestuously up and down trees, and 

 finally boastingly passed. 



Many a time two rabbits speeded silently by 

 without a slowing, a signal, or a look. Others 

 kicked as they passed. One mid-winter day 

 two rabbits leaped to meet mid-air; then like 

 bucking bronchos they leaped high for action 

 and like miniature mules turned here and there 

 to kick at the target with two feet. If this was 

 fight or frolic only rabbits know. 



It often happened that the breeze was favour- 

 able and I watched the passing processions from 



