DOG-TOWN DIGGINGS 221 



farces. Their fat bodies and extremely short 

 legs and slow, awkward movement made their 

 efforts more ludicrous even than those of fat 

 men boxers. There was a kind of snake dance 

 with entangled countermarching in which most 

 dogs tried to be dignified while many acted as 

 though in new company and did not know what 

 was expected of them. 



One of their plays consisted in a single dog 

 mimicking a stranger or an enemy. A bunch 

 of dogs acted as spectators while an old dog 

 highly entertained them by impersonating a 

 coyote, at least his exhibition reminded me 

 very much of coyote. The old dog imitated the 

 coyote's progress through dog town, with the 

 usual turning, looking, smelling, and stopping. 

 He looked into holes, rolled over, bayed at the 

 heavens, and even tried the three-legged gallop. 

 During most of his stunts the spectators were 

 silent but toward the last he was applauded with 

 violent cursings and denunciation at least so 

 it sounded. A number of other folks were 

 imitated, but just who they were my natural 

 history and the actor's presentation gave no 

 clue. Apparently the skunk was imitated. The 

 actor's interpretation was good. The congested 

 audience watched him closely, with now and then 

 a yip, but mostly in silence. 



But sometimes there are less peaceful scenes 



