Rocky Mountains* 173 



the wolves attempted in vain to get at the bait, as they would 

 not enter by the rout prepared for them. 



A large double vk steel trap" was next tried ; this was pro- 

 fusely baited, and the whole, with the exception of the bait, 

 was carefully concealed beneath the fallen leaves. This was 

 also unsuccessful. Tracks of the anticipated victims,werenext 

 day observed to be impressed in numbers on the earth near 

 the spot, but still the trap, with its seductive charge, remain- 

 ed untouched. The bait was then removed from the trap, and 

 suspended over it from the branch of a tree ; several pieces 

 of meat were also suspended in a similar manner, from, 

 trets in the vicinity ; the following morning the bait over the 

 trap, alone remained. Supposing that their exquisite sense 

 of smell, warned them of the position of the trap, it was re- 

 moved and again covered with leaves, and the baits being 

 disposed as before, the leaves to a considerable distance 

 around were burned, and the trap remained perfectly con- 

 cealed by ashes ; still the bait over the trap was avoided. 

 Once only this trap was sprung, and had fastened for a short 

 time upon the foot of a species, which was shot the following 

 day at no great distance; it proved to be a species distinct 

 from the prairie wolf, and we have described it under the 

 name of C. nubilus. 



In no respect disheartened by these futile attempts, many 

 times repeated, and varied in every obvious manner, another 

 scheme was executed, which eventuated in complete suc- 

 cess. This was the log trap, in which one log is elevated 

 above another at one end, by means of an upright stick, 

 which rests upon a reunded horizontal trigger stick, on the 

 inferior log. 



The la trans does not diffuse the offensive odour, so re- 

 markable in the two species of jackalls, (C. aureus and C. 

 anthus^) though in many respects it resembles those ani- 

 mals. Like the Mexicaims, the hair on the vertebral line is 

 elongated ; and we should be disposed to regard it as the 



