37^ MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



tration of the marvelous degree of the perfection of the 

 development to w^hich an animal of the canine species 

 may be brought through centuries of skillful breeding 

 accompanied by careful and wise training. In these re- 

 spects the collie is perhaps without a rival. The prompt 

 and unfailing obedience of the collie would frequently 

 put to the blush the obedience of a well-trained child. 

 The sagacity shown in doing its work is nothing short 

 of wonderful. Its fidelity to the interests of its master 

 knows no wavering. In these and also in other respects 

 it would almost seem as though it were guided by reason 

 rather than by instinct. More, probably, than any other 

 animal does it illustrate the near approach which instinct 

 may make to the realm of reason without actually invad- 

 ing it. It is thus apparent that there are dogs and dogs. 



The losses incurred by wolves — In all countries 

 where the opportunity occurs wolves prey upon sheep, 

 and doubtless they have done so in every age. In North 

 America wolves are divided into two groups, known re- 

 spectively as timber wolves and coyotes. The former 

 inhabit wooded areas to a far greater extent than coyotes, 

 whose presence is almost entirely confined to the open 

 country. 



Timber wolves are larger than coyotes. They are also 

 usually larger in northern areas than in those far South. 

 The color varies in different areas. In eastern Canada, it 

 is a dark gray ; in the southeastern states, a dark gray or 

 black ; in southern Texas, red ; in Mexico, brindled ; in the 

 western range country, a light gray ; along the central 

 Pacific area, dusky or black ; and in Alaska and Canada, 

 far northward, it is almost white. 



Coyotes, so named by the Spaniards, are usually of 

 a dirty gray, with more or less of a reddish tint about the 

 head, neck and legs. The proportion of the red and black 

 varies much with the different species. In size they are 

 larger than a fox and smaller than the timber wolf, but 

 the size varies considerably in the different species, of 



