1SG7.1 
AMERICAN AG-BJCULT URIST 
The Prairie Wolf. 
This animal (C'anis latrans) which is found 
upon, the Prairies of the "West, from Mexico to 
as far north as lat. 55°, is the type in this coun- 
try of the Jackal of the Eastern world, both in 
appearance and 
habits. Although 
naturalists differ 
on the subject, it 
is the generally 
received opinion 
that he is the same 
animal as the Mex- 
ican Coyote. In 
size, he is a me- 
dium between the 
common Red Fox 
and the ordinary 
Wolf. His head is 
shaped more like 
the former animal, 
having its long 
and sharp muzzle, 
while the whole 
form of his body- 
is more that of the 
Wolf, and his tail, 
which is bushy 
and tapering, and 
his coarse hair, 
are unmistakably 
those of the lat- 
ter. He is from 36 to 40, or 42 inches in length 
of body, with a tail some 16 or 18 inches long. 
In color he is usually of a dull, yellowish gray 
on the back and sides, sprinkled or clouded with 
black, the belly and inside of the limbs being 
white. His ears are large and triangular, al- 
ways held in an erect position, and almost en- 
tirely coated with hair. He has four toes on 
each foot, besides a sharp claw on the inside of 
the fore-foot, about two inches above the sole, 
and attached to 
the rudimentary 
toe,corresponding 
to the thumb. He 
has a sharp, snap- 
ping bark, which 
gives him the 
name, among the 
dwellers upon the 
prairies, .of the 
"Barking Wolf." 
They live and 
breed in burrows, 
and have their 
young in April. 
They are very pro- 
lific, sometimes 
bringing forth 10 
or more at a birth, 
and not often less 
than 8. They are 
very fleet of foot, 
more so than the 
ordinary Wolf,and 
hunt in packs, 
hanging on the 
outskirts of the 
herds of buffalo, on the lookout for stragglers, 
aged, halt, and maimed. Though small, they are a 
most terrible enemy when combined, and attack- 
ing in numbers. They will follow up a company 
of hunters for days, and loiter around their 
camps for the refuse of their game, of which 
they get. quantities, as your true buffalo hunter 
only cares for the hump, tongue, marrow-bones, 
and skin. They are afraid of man, and rarely, 
if ever, injure the hunter or his horses, although 
stealing into a still camp at night, they often 
cause the latter to stampede. The mule is an 
excellent watchman, for he no sooner detects 
their neighborhood by his keen scent, than he 
gives vent to his own, peculiar, musical bray s and 
prairie wolf or coyote. — (Cards latrans.) 
stands like a well-bred game dog, head and tail 
erect, and nose pointed in the direction of his 
enemy. The hunter then looks out for the safety 
of his game or provisions, for the little thieves 
are as expert as the New York pickpockets, and 
will appropriate his most precious morsels. 
They are killed for their skins, which, however, 
are not very valuable, and are used to fill up the 
scanty load of some not over-successful trader. 
The Red Fox— [Vulpes fulvus.) 
Closely allied to the wolf and the dog, is the 
Fox, of which there are several distinct species 
in this country, and among these there exists a 
great tendency to varieties. The skins of the 
common red fox show diverse shades, some being 
very dark, (indeed there are those called black ;) 
others have a more or less distinctly marked 
cross, a stripe down the back and across the 
shoulders. The usual color is bright reddish 
brown, most intense along the saddle and should- 
ers. The face is nearly black, as are also the 
flanks ; and the feet are black in front, the color 
extending up on the outside of the thighs. The 
under jaw, the 
edges of the up- 
per jaw, and the 
throat are white, 
and this color ex- 
tends more or less 
upon the belly. 
The brush is ren- 
dered dark by 
man}' long black 
hairs, occurring 
among the reddish 
ones, which are 
more abundant 
and shorter. In 
the darker varie- 
ties of the fox the 
brush is often 
white tipped. The 
head and bod}' 
measure 27 to 30 
inches usually, 
and the tail to the 
tips of the hairs 
about 15 to 17 
inches. They rare- 
ly attain a weight 
of 15 pounds, and 8 to 10 pounds is the usual 
weight. The young are littered in March or 
April, 4 to 6 in a nest. As the old one has these 
to provide for just when field mice and birds 
are least abundant, foxes are then boldest in 
then- attacks upon poultry, and will even attack 
young lambs. We think, however, that lamb is 
uot a favorite diet by any means, and that rats, 
mice, and small birds and eggs are much pre- 
ferred to poultry of any kind — we are willing 
to give the little 
i 
rascals credit for 
all the good they 
do. Their habits, 
their great degree 
of sly intelligence 
and reasoning 
powers, are well 
known. They are 
active throughout 
the winter, and 
lives in burrows. 
In trapping the 
fox, to destroy the 
smell of iron, the 
trap should be 
smeared with 
fresh blood, or 
heated and cover- 
ed with bees-wax, 
then set near their 
haunts, covered 
with light ear fh,or 
ashes, and fasten- 
ed to a clog of 8 
or 10 lbs. The sur- 
face all around 
should wear a natural look. Scraps of fried 
meat and honey may be distributed around the 
bed, 1ml nol on the trap, and no fool prints 
should bo seen near. The genital organs of 
the female fox, or dog in heat, preserved ia al- 
cohol and smeared upon some object near the 
trap, Will be most alluring. A fos will be very 
likely to follow a trail of bloody meat to I lie trap. 
