236 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 
coyote usually captures them by hiding behind 
clumps of weeds or bunches of grass at some distance 
from the burrows, and when, in feeding, the unsus- 
pecting rodent approaches near enough a few leaps 
enable the coyote to capture it. It is probably the 
fear of the coyote that causes the prairie-dogs to crop 
off all the tall, growing grass and weeds near their 
burrows. 
“In addition to rabbits and pfairie-dogs the food 
of the coyote includes rice-rats, kangaroo-rats, wood- 
rats, ground-squirrels, woodchucks, pocket-gophers, 
chipmunks, and pocket-mice. All of these are harm- 
ful to agriculture, and the coyote in preying upon 
them performs a valuable service to man. This 
service is not spasmodic, but lasts throughout the 
year and throughout the life of the coyote, and has 
an important influence in helping maintain the ‘bal- 
ance of nature.’ : 
‘“The coyote is useful also as a scavenger. In the 
prairie country, especially in winter, it comes into 
towns at night searching for garbage. Here it finds 
remnants of meat from the table, offal, and similar 
prizes. When hungry it rejects no animal food, not 
even carrion. The slaughter-houses near the towns 
are favorite feeding places, and the animals are often 
shot there. On the ranges they soon consume dead 
horses and cattle, leaving the bones clean. 
“Injurious food-habits. Considerable game is de- 
stroyed by coyotes, including quail, grouse, and 
wild ducks, and their eggs. . . . hens, ducks, 
geese, and turkeys. Its usual method of. capturing 
