104 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Fbb. 6, 1897. 
A COYOTE PARTNERSHIP. 
The pronghorned antelope is the swiftest animal on the 
plains, and yet the coyotes catch a good many of them just 
by running them down. This sounds like a paradox, yet 
it is quite true, and is explained by the cunning of the 
wolves and the habits of the antelope. 
A single coyote who undertook to run down a single an- 
telope would get tired and hungry before he accomplished 
much, but when two or three coyotes are together it is 
quite a diflferent thing. The coyotes do not all run after 
the antelope together. They take turns, and while one 
runs the others rest, and so at last they tire the antelope 
out. 
If when it was started the antelope ran straight away, it 
would of course leave all the wolves behind, those that 
were resting even more than the one that was chasing it, 
but the antelope does not run straight away. Instead it 
runs in large circles, and this enables the wolves to take 
turns -when chasing it. 
When three or four prairie wolves decide that th6y want 
antelope meat for breakfast, one of them creeps as close as 
possible to the one they have selected, and then makes a 
rush for it, running as fast as he possibly can so as to push 
the antelope to his best speed and to tire it out. Mean- 
time his companions spread out on either side of the run- 
ner, and get upon little hills or knolls so as to keep the 
chase in sight. They trot from point to point, and pretty 
soon, when the antelope turns and bigins to work back 
toward one of them, this one tries to get as nearly as possi- 
ble in its path, and as it flies by the wolf dashes out at it 
and runs after it at the top of its speed, while the one that 
had been chasing the antelope stops running and trots off 
to some nearby hill, where, while the water drips off his 
lolling tongue, he watches the race and gets his breath 
again. After a little the antelope passes near another coy- 
ote, which in turn takes up the pursuit. And so the chase 
is kept up until the poor antelope is exhausted, when it is 
overtaken and pulled down by one or more of the hungry 
brutes. Of course the coyotes do not catch every antelope 
they start. Sometimes the game runs such a course that it 
does not pass near any of the waiting wolves, and only the 
one that, starts it has any running to do. In such a case 
the pursuit is at once abandoned. Sometimes the antelope 
is so stout and strong that it tires out all its pursuers. 
Yet they catch them more frequently than one would 
think, and it is not at all uncommon to see coyotes chasing 
antelope, although, of course, to see the whole race and its 
termination is very unusual. Often if a- wolf running an 
antelope comes near to a man he gives up the chase and 
that particular antelope is saved. It is a common thing 
for a coyote to chase an old doe with her kids just after the 
little ones have begun to run about. At that time they 
are very swift for short distances, but have not the strength 
to stand a long chase. In such a case a mother will often 
stay behind her young, and will try to fight off the coyote, 
butting him with her head and striking him with her fore- 
feet. He pays little attention to her, except to snap at 
her, and keeps on after the kids. Several times I have 
seen a mother antelope lead her little ones into the midst 
of a bed of cactus, where the wolf could not go without 
getting his feet full of thorns. If the bed is small the wolf 
will make ferocious dashes up to its border, trying to 
frighten the little ones so that they will run out on the 
other side and he can start after them again, but usually 
the mother has no trouble in holding them. I ihave sev- 
eral times killed young antelope whose legs had been bit- 
ten up by coyotes, but which had got away. 
One hot day last summer a gang of section men were 
working in a cut in a railroad west of here, when suddenly 
a big buck antelope ran down one side of the cut, acrosg 
the track, and up the other side. His sudden dash into 
their midst startled the men. and while they stood looking 
up where he had crossed a coyote suddenly plunged down 
the side of the cut, just as the antelope had done. The 
readiest of the section men threw a hammer at him, and 
the wolf turned and scrambled up the bank that he had 
just come down and was not seen again. 
Two or three years ago I camped one afternoon near 
Eock Creek, and as there was very little feed we turned 
the horses loose at night to pick among the sage brush and 
grease wood. Early in the morning, before sunrise, while 
the man with me was getting breakfast, I started out to get 
the horses. They were nowhere to be seen, and I climbed 
to the top of the hill back of camp, from which, as it was 
the only high place anywhere about, I felt sure that I could 
see the missing animals. Just before I got to the top of the 
hill an old doe antelope suddenly came in view, closely fol- 
lowed by a coyote. Both of them seemed to be running as 
hard as "they could, and both had their tongues hanging 
out as if they had come a long way. Suddenly, almost at 
the heels of the antelope — much closer to her than the other 
■wolf — appeared a second co5'^ote, which now took np the 
running, while the one that had been chasing her stopped 
and sat down and watched. The antelope ran quite a long 
distance, always bearing a little to the left, and now seem- 
ing to run more slowly than when I first saw her. As she 
kept turning, it was evident that she would either run 
around the hill on which I stood or would come back near 
it. At first I was so interested in watching her that I for- 
got to look at the wolf that had stopped near me. When 
I did so he was no longer at the place where he had 
stopped, but was trotting over a little ridge that ran down 
from the hill and watching the chase that was now so far 
off. He could easily have run across the cord of the arc 
and headed the antelope, but he knew too well what she 
would do to give himself that trouble. Aftera little, it was 
evident that the antelope would come back pretty near 
to the hill, but on the other side of it from where she 
had passed before, and the wolf which I had first seen 
chasing her trotted out 200 or 300yds. on to the prairie 
and sat down. The antelope was now coming back 
almost directly toward him, and I could see that there 
were i^o wolves behind her, one close at her heels and 
the other a good way further back. The first wolf now 
seemed quite excited. He no longer sat up, but crouched 
close to the ground, every few moments raising his head 
very slowly to take a look at the doe, and then lowering it 
again so that he would be out of sight. Sometimes he 
crawled on his belly a few feet further from me, evidently 
trying to put himself directly in the path of the antelope; 
and this he seemed to have succeeded in doing. As she 
drew near him I could see that she was staggering, she was 
so tired, and the wolf behind could at any moment have 
knocked her dovkn if he had wanted to, but he seemed to 
be waiting for something. The wolf that was following 
him was now running faster and catching up. 
When the antelope reached the place where the first 
wolf was lying hidden, he sprang up and in a jump or two 
caught her neck and threw her down. At the same mo- 
ment the two wolves from behind came up, and for a mo- 
ment there was a scufBe in which yellow and white and 
gray and waving tails were all mixed up, and then the 
three wolves were seen standing there, tearing away at 
their breakfast. 
I had been so interested in watching this thing, which 
after all had not taken more than ten or fifteen minutes of 
time, that I had forgotten all about the horses. It only 
needed a moment's looking to see them a short distance 
down the stream, and before I had got to them and brought 
them back to campIheardBill'svoicesingingoutforbreak- 
fast. I was so much interested in the intelligence sho-wn 
by the coj^otes that I do not think I feltthe least sympathy 
for the antelope. Even if I had wanted to help her I could 
have done nothing, for she was so tired that the coyotes 
could easily have caught her after I had gone. 
There are other wild creatures that catch the antelope 
occasionally. As I have said before, the golden eagles often 
kill them when they are quite young, although if any old 
ones are near they will fight the birds, keeping them 
from catching the young ones. Once in winter I saw an 
eagle attack two kids. They were feeding at a little 
distance from a large bunch of perhaps 1,000 ante- 
lope. At this time the young ones were seven or eight 
months old, and so quite large and strong. The eagle 
had been sitting somewhere on the hillside, and flew 
down over the kids to pounce on one of them. They 
immediately began to run to the herd, and when the 
eagle made a dart at them they both stopped, reared 
on their hindlegs, a good deal in the position of the 
unicorn that we sometimes see fighting for the crown, and 
struck at the bird wnth their forefeet. Perhaps he was not 
very hungry, but at all events this turned him and the kids 
ran on. He made two more swoops at them before they 
reached the herd, and each time they fought him off in the 
same way by rearing up and striking after him. Of course 
when they got in among the other antelope the eagle left 
them and flew away. 
As I have elsewhere explained, the Indians, before they 
had horses or firearms, used to catch antelope in traps. 
These were built something on the same plan as their 
buffalo traps. The people built a long, straight fence, 
which almost came together at one end and was very far 
apart at the other. At the ends of the fence where they 
almost came together the Indians either built a corral or 
dug a deep pit, which they roofed over by slender poles, 
on which they put grass and dirt. Now, yow have heard 
that the antelope is very inquisitive. If he sees anything 
that he does not understand or can't quite make out, he is 
very likely to go up closer to it, so as to see what this ob- 
ject really is. The Indians took advantage of this weak- 
ness of the antelope, and by means of it decoyed bunches 
of them into the space between the widely separated ends 
of these two fences. Other Indians were hidden behind 
the feni-'e, and as soon as the herd got started down be- 
tween these wings the Indians near the end of the fence 
ran out and got behind the antelope, which were then 
forced to run down toward the pit or the corral. If it was 
a pit, they broke through the roof in running over it, or 
they ran into the corral, where they were killed by the 
Indians, who were hidden near by. 
Down in Utah and Colorado, southwest of here, I have 
seen in several places the remains of these fences and 
corrals. I do not know that the Indians hereabouts ever 
caught the antelope in pits, but men who have lived up 
North with the Blackfeet, the Bloods and the Piegans tell 
me that up there they used the pits instead of the corrals. 
Geo. Bird Grinnell. 
Brunnich's Murres and Kin^ Eider in Virg^inia. 
Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 20.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
I take great pleasure in notifying the ornithologists and 
others interested of the capture of Briinnich's murre ( Uria 
lomvia), one on Dec. 17, 1896, and one on Dec. 19, 1896, 
at Cape Charles, Va., by A. L. Whitaker and Carmen Skid- 
more respectively; and on Jan. 2, 1897, of a specimen of 
king eider {So^nateria spectabilis), by Joseph Fields, at Cape 
Charles, Va. 
My brother shot the first Brilnnich murre, and the king 
eider was taken by a friend of mine with whom I was 
duck shooting at Mr. Isaac Skidmore's, Northampton 
county, Va. 
These specimens were exhibited at a meeting of the 
Delaware Valley Ornithological Club, Academy of Natural 
Sciences, Philadelphia. 
I have the above specimens, and claim the latter to be 
the most southern recorded capture of the king eider. 
Would it not be wise for our sportsmen Avho are duck 
shooters to have any strange or unknown specimen identi- 
fied? Many valuable notes are lost by this oversight. 
Wm. L. Whitakee. 
Murres in Quincy Bay. 
Boston, Mass., Jan. 25. — Editor Forest and Stream: No- 
ticing that Brunnich's murre have been seen in large num- 
bers in Cayuga Lake, I want to say that in Quincy Bay, 
within five miles of Boston, Mass., last December, a great 
many of these birds were seen, and some shot by different 
gunners. 
Old gunners say that in thirty years' experience they have 
never seen these birds in the bay before. W. P. W. 
White-winged Crossbill. 
Thompsontown, Pa., Jan, 22. — Editor Foi'est and Stream: 
The accompanying bird rose from my barnyard with 200 
or 300 English sparrows. Twenty-one birds fell before a 
charge of No. 12 shot, and the crossbill with the sparrows. 
Is it a true crossbill or a hybrid with sparrows? I should 
think the pugnacious foreigner would have driven the 
native away. Juniata. 
[It is a young white- winged crossbill {Loxia leucopt&ra). 
His death shows what bad company may lead one to.] 
New Orleans Audubon Monument. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
In connection with the reproductions of Audubon's 
birds, which you are publishing let me call the attention 
of your readers to a very interesting sketch of Audubon's 
life by Mrs. Bradford, of New Orleans. 
The book is very attractive in form, and sells for f 1. 
The entire proceeds of its sale are to be given to the 
Audubon monument fund, for the purpose of erecting 
a monument to the great naturalist in Audubon Park, 
New Orleans. I inclose description of the book from 
the New Orleans Tivies-Devioerat: "Mrs, Bradford's 
sketch of Audubon, daintily bound and illustrated, 
and printed in clear, attractive type, appears in time to 
rank among the charming gift books of the holiday sea- 
son. Originally read before the Quarante Club, of this 
city, the sketch was received with warm interest; and 
Mrs. Bradford is now actuated by a public-spirited naotive 
in giving her work a permanent form. The erection of 
a suitable monument to the great naturalist has long been 
one of her dreams, and it is her hope that the proceeds 
from the sale of the book may, as she modestly expresses 
it, 'prove the cornerstone' of this worthy enterprise. 
The author justly remarks: 'Our country is at last 
rapidly refuting the traditional charge of the ingratitude 
of republics to their noblest sons. * * * We of the 
far South must not be behindhand in this great 
movement. Undismayed by difficulties and dis- 
couragements, we must earnestly strive to do like 
honor to our illustrious dead, and ennoble and beautify 
our parks and public places with lasting memorials in 
bronze and marble — grand object lessons of their lives 
and deeds.' In a fluent and graceful style Mrs. Bradford 
relates the history of Audubon's life— that life 'more in- 
structive than a sermon, more romantic than a romance' 
—showing excellent taste and judgment in the arrange- 
ment of her material. The author has had special oppor- 
tunities to study her subject, as Audubon was a valued 
friend of her parents, and the home of her childhood con- 
tained many treasures in the shape of stuffed birds and 
portraits, the handiwork of the naturalist whom Louisi- 
ana proudly claims. His was a career crowded with 
incident from start to finish, and the varied episodes of 
his checkered fortunes are as graphically described as can 
only be done by a biographer who draws information 
from more sources than the mere printed page. 
"The book in itself is well worth reading, and it receives 
a double value from the author's motive in giving it to 
the public. It is to be hoped that her aepiration may 
soon be realized. We trust the day is not far distant 
when among the grand old oaks, and near the mighty 
river he loved, patriotic hands will place a noble statue 
in bronze of the great naturalist of Louisiana, a familiar 
figure afl he was in life, in hunter's dress, with dog and 
gun by his side." 
Any of your readers who feel inclined to contribute 
$1 will be contributing to a very worthy object, and at 
the same time will receive an interesting little memento 
of Audubon. Alexamdee Maitlaud. 
Blue Coat vs. Tellow Coat. 
The greatest enjoyment of a camping trip to a lover of 
nature does not always arise from the large amount of 
game killed or the large number of fish secured — but 
from the little things that happen, which many people 
would call trivia), but to one who has formed the habit 
of observation are full of life and interest. 
The freedom from care and worry, the hearty good- 
fellowship which exists, and the fact that the struggle 
for the Almighty Dollar is largely eliminated, are some of 
the factors that make a camping experience so enjoyable, 
as well as benefical. 
I remember an interesting incident that happened while 
camping a few yeara ago. I had been out a good portion 
of the night before jack-hunting after deer, but had come 
in shortly aftpr midnight without any success — and right 
here I would like to say about this method of hunting 
that while I have never fired at a deer when jack -hunting 
without killing it, my experience has been that the deer 
stands more chance of escaping than the hunter does of 
securing it, and especially is this true on bodies of water 
that have been much hunted in this way. However, I 
am perfectly willing to give up jack-hunting if 
they will "call off the dogs"— but I have wan- 
dered from my subject I Not feeling very ambitious, 
I strolled away from camp alpng the trail that led 
down the lake, and coming to a convenient log sat down 
to enjoy the solitude and stillness of the woods. I had 
left my gun at camp— a very foolish thing to do, espe- 
cially in a country where big game abounds. Hearing a 
slight noise to my left, I moved along on the log so I could 
discover the cause of it, and there witnessed a very novel 
combat. The noise increased as I crept nearer. A big, 
burly fellow in a shining blue coat was having a great 
tussle with a smaller antagonist, a little yellow and brown 
chap, whose lithe, supple movements and bull dog tenacity 
made the fight less unequal than it seemed at first. After 
the fight bad lasted a short time, it became evident that 
Blue Coat had had enough, and was now only too anxious 
to get away; but in spite of his utmost endeavors the little 
yellow fellow kept his grip and pushed the fight with the 
utmost fierceness. The big fellow was soon done for, and 
his efforts became weaker and weaker until they ceased 
altogether. Mr, Yellow Coat seemed none the worse for 
the battle, and though his adversary was nearly twice his 
size he picked him up and flew away with him to his nest 
in a not far distant bush. 
The victor was a yellow hornet, and the vanquished 
blue bottle fly. W. Geant. 
Bluebirds on Long Island in January. 
Bay Eidge, Long Island, N„ Y.,. Jan. 27.— I wish to ad- 
' vise you of what to me is the unusual presence of bluebirds 
(S. S.). Yesterday, the 26th, I heard the well-known note 
of this bird. At first I was inclined to be skeptical, but 
upon its repetition I investigated, and was surprised to dis- 
cover a pair of them in a low dogwood, seemingly in good 
health and spirits. Last fall your various correspondents 
were lamenting the scarcity of these birds, while with ub 
during late September they were unusually abundant, com- 
ing and going in fair-sized "flocks until well on into October. 
I may mention that a red-headed woodpecker has win- 
tered' for three years in our vicinity, and from his loud 
chattering yesterday I infer he was as much surprised as 
myself over the bluebirds, for he followed them as they 
flew off at my approach. AVilmot Townsend. 
