500 



CARNIVORES. 



districts a large number of children are annually carried .off by them from the 

 villages. In the South Mahratta country, Sir W. Elliot writes that he has seen 

 a small pack " steal round a herd of antelope, and conceal themselves on different 

 sides till an opportunity occurs of seizing one of them unawares, as they approach, 

 whilst grazing, to one or other of their hidden assailants. On one occasion three 

 wolves were seen to chase a herd of gazelles across a ravine in which two others 

 were lying in wait. They succeeded in seizing a female gazelle, which was taken 

 from them. They have frequently been seen to coui'se and run down hares and 

 foxes, and it is a common belief of the peasants that in the open plains, where 

 there is no cover or concealment, they scrape a hole in the earth, in which one of 

 the pack lies down and remains hidden, while the others drive the herd of 

 antelopes over liim. Their chief prey is, however, sheep." 



The Coyote (Canin latrans). 



Whatever doubt there may be as to the riglit of the Indian wolf to specific 

 distinction, there can be none in the case of the coj-ote, or prairie-wolf, of North 



THE LOYOTE {\ nat. size). 



America. This animal is considerably smaller than the common wolf, from which 

 it is also distinguished by its thicker and longer fui- and more bushy tad. On 



