ON WILD LIFE TRAILS 121 



cause they need to do so, or for the fun of it. 

 Deer shift for miles from a summer to a win- 

 ter range, travelling a regular migration route. 

 A number of enemy wolves may follow this 

 moving food supply. Beavers may be seek- 

 ing a home in new scenes and a bear may be off 

 on an adventure. 



Wild life trails were worn by generation after 

 generation of wild animals using the same 

 route, the line of least resistance long followed 

 from one territory to another. Trampling feet 

 assisted by wind and water maintained a plain 

 trail. Indian trails often were wild life trails. 

 Stretches of buffalo trails on the plains and bear 

 trails in Alaska were abandoned because so 

 deeply worn and washed. 



From a low cliff by a mountain stream I 

 watched the wild life along the trail on the 

 other side of the stream. The canon was 

 wooded but the trail immediately opposite was 

 in the open. 



Two packs of wolves met on the trail across 

 the river. The leaders rushed to grips and a 

 general mix-up was on. But this was sur- 

 prisingly brief. There was an outburst of 

 snarling and the gangs passed with but little 

 loss of time and with but one limping. 



Often as these travellers passed out of sight 

 after a meeting I wondered what and when 



