Iv THE HOUND OF THE PLAINS II5 
the coyote to figure prominently in the myths and 
Teligious 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, Cushing, 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 
