XIX 

 MAMMALS AS ENEMIES OF OTHER MAMMALS 



That certain species of mammals habitually prey upon other mam- 

 mals is a matter of common knowledge, reflected in the popular group 

 apellation of the larger species "beasts of prey." The mammalian 

 enemies of domestic stock have been considered in Chapter vn, in rela- 

 tion tp Damage to the Human Food Supply by Mammals. 



All members of the cat family (Felidae) are flesh-eaters, many of 

 them almost exclusively so, and mostly subsisting upon the flesh of 

 mammals and birds killed by themselves. They destroy a vast number 

 of mammals of many kinds. Domestic cats kill many house mice, a few 

 of them attack rats, and they often destroy squirrels and other small 

 mammals. Mountain lions are special enemies of deer and also kill 

 many of the small mammals, as well as domestic stock, particularly 

 colts. Jaguars kill many mammals, big and little, including men. Lynxes 

 and wildcats (bobcats) destroy many rabbits and other small mammals, 

 chiefly rodents. 1 There are very few large African mammals that the 

 lion will not attack and conquer, but, where available, the zebra is its 

 favorite prey. Tigers and leopards destroy many kinds of mammals, 

 large and small. 



The members of the dog family (Canidae) also subsist largely upon 

 flesh, but take a larger average percentage of other food than do the 

 Felidae. Coyotes destroy large numbers of rabbits, prairie-dogs, ground 

 squirrels, mice and so forth, but unfortunately raid sheep and calf pens. 

 The larger wolves are destructive to livestock and deer, but do not dis- 

 dain various smaller wild mammals, even consuming many mice where 

 those rodents are abundant. 2 Their size and habit of hunting in packs, 

 especially in northern Europe, make them formidable foes. Damage by 

 predacious mammals to domestic stock in the United States is esti- 

 mated at $20,000,000 to $30,000,000 annually, chiefly cattle and sheep. 3 



1 Merriam, N. Amer. Fauna, No. 3, p. 79, 1890. Bailey, ibid., No. 49, p. 149, 1926 ; 

 Farmers' Bull., No. 335, 1908. Dixon, Journ. Mammalogy, vi, 36-38, 1925. 



2 Johnson, A note on the habits of the timber wolf, Journ. Mammalogy, n, 11-15, 

 1921. Bailey, Destruction of deer by the northern timber wolf, U. S. Biol. Suru., 

 Circular, No. 58, 1907. Bell, Wolves, coyotes, take big toll from stockmen, Yearbook 

 U. S. Dept. Agric. for 1926, pp. 774-776. 



'Bell, Hunting down stock killers, Yearbook U. S. Dept. Agric. for 1920, pp. 

 289-301. 



