iv THE HOUND OF THE PLAINS 115 



the coyote to figure prominently in the myths and 

 religious histories of nearly all the native races of 

 the far west, especially southward ; and a collection 

 of these stories from the writings of Powell, Powers, 

 Bandelier, Gushing, Curtin and others would sug- 

 gest to every reader the Reynard of European folk- 

 lore, not to speak of other interesting parallels. 



The skins of these wolves are not as highly 

 valued as those of the bigger gray wolf, yet 

 formerly they entered largely into the shipments 

 of the Hudson's Bay Company, for whom they 

 were "cased," or stripped off inside out, as is 

 done with smaller fur-bearers, such as the beaver 

 and ermine. At present they are in demand to 

 some extent for making sleigh-robes, rugs, and so 

 forth, and to a less degree for mantles and boas, 

 but can scarcely be accounted among the com- 

 mercial furs. 



The striking resemblance between the coyote 

 and the majority of the snappish curs thronging 

 in the camps of the redskins long ago attracted 

 attention, and with good reason, for these dogs 

 are descended from tamed wolves and foxes of 

 one kind or another, and the stock was, and is yet, 

 constantly replenished by their masters through 

 mixture with the wild wolves. 



As a pet the coyote is not in great favor. He 

 will, indeed, stay at home, and will consent to 

 friendly, and even affectionate, terms with his 

 owner, but he seems to have not a particle of 



