IV 



THE SHADOW OF THE DESERT 



saw the desert on the trip from 

 Bend to Burns ; I had some chance 

 to watch it in the days that fol- 

 lowed, as again by automobile we 

 pushed far out over the gray wastes. 

 We were bound for Silver Lake, off about 

 thirty miles in the sage, where the wardens had 

 discovered a small colony of American egrets 

 {Herodias egretta). As we left the signs of trail 

 and travel behind us and headed straight into the 

 desert, I saw that we were in a wilder, barrener 

 section than any we had crossed on coming in 

 from Bend. We were making the trip for white 

 herons — egrets — but I began to feel coyotes 

 about me in the sand and brush. I cannot explain 

 just what the feeling of coyotes is, but I am sure 

 you would have it out on the caked and crusty 

 sand near Silver Lake. Everything said wolf as 

 we sped silently along through the spaces of tfie 

 sage. The lean, wide desert looked wolf. The 



