PRAIRIE WOLF. 
153 
In Texas the Prairie Wolves are perhaps more abundant than the other 
species ; they hunt in packs of six or eight, which are seen to most ad- 
vantage in the evening, in pursuit of deer. It is amusing to see them 
cut across the curves made by the latter when trying to escape the 
hindmost Wolves thus saving some distance, and finally striking in ahead 
of the poor deer and surrounding it, when a single Wolf would fail 
in the attempt to capture it. By its predatory and destructive habits 
this Wolf is a great annoyance to the settlers in the new terntones o 
the west. Travellers and hunters on the prairies, dislike it for killing the 
deer, which supply these wanderers with their best meals, and furnish 
them with part of their clothing, the buck-skin breeches, the most durable 
garment, for the woods or plains. The bark or call-note of this Wolf, al- 
though a wild sound to the inhabitant of any settled and cultivated part of 
the country, is sometime.s wrelcomed, as it often announces the near approach 
of daylight ; and if the wanderer, aroused from his slumbers by the how- 
ling of this animal, raises his blanket and turns his head towmrd the 
easL from his camping-ground underneath the branches of some broad 
spreading live-oak, he can see the red glow, perchance, that fringes 
the misty morning vapours, giving the promise of a clear and calm sun- 
rise in the mild climate of Texas, even in the depth of winter. Should 
day-light thus be at hand, the true hunter is at once a-foot, short 
space of time does he require for the duties of the toilet, and soon 
ho has made a fire, boiled his coffee, and broiled a bit of venison or wild 
turkey. 
This Wolf fee-ds on birds, small and large quadrupeds, and when 
hard pressed by hunger, even upon carrion or carcasses of buffaloes, &c. 
It is easily tamed w'hen caught young, and makes a tolerable com- 
panion, though not gifted with the good qualities of the dog. We 
had one once, which was kept in a friend’s store in the west, and 
we discovered it to be something of a rat catcher. This individual 
was very desirous of being on friendly terms with all the dogs about 
the premises, especially with a large French poodle that belonged to 
our friend, but the poodle would not permit our halt-savage barking 
Wolf to play with him, and generally returned its attempted caresses 
with an angry snap, which put all further friendly demonstrations out 
of the question. One day \ve missed our pet from his accustomed 
place near the back part of the ware-house, and while we -svere won- 
dering what had become of him, were attracted by an unusual uproar 
in the street. In a moment wc perceived the noise was occasioned 
by a whole pack of curs of high and low degree, which were in full 
cry, and in pursuit of our Prairie Wolf. The. creature thus hard beset, 
vot, n. — 20. 
