In the Sierra 



luantity of poison in the carcasses. Allsheep- 



icn carry strychnine to kill coyotes, bears, 

 ind panthers, though neither coyotes nor pan- 

 ders are at all numerous in the upper moun- 

 :ains. The little dog-like wolves are far more 

 Lumerous in the foothill region and on the 

 dains, where they find a better supply of 

 food, saw only one panther-track above 

 ;ight thousand feet. 



On my 'return after sunset to the Portu- 

 gese camp I found the shepherds greatly 



:cited over the behavior of the bears that 

 lave learned to like mutton. "They are 

 jetting worse and worse, they lamented. 



Tot willing to wait decently until after dark 

 for their suppers, they come and kill and 



it their fill in broad daylight. The evening 

 >efore my arrival, when the two shepherds 



r ere leisurely driving the flock toward 

 :amp half an hour before sunset, a hun- 

 gry bear came out of the chaparral within 



few yards of them and shuffled deliber- 

 itely toward the flock. " Portuguese Joe," 

 [ 281 ] 



