Birds and All Nature, Vol. 4, No. 2, August 1898: Illustrated by Color PhotographyVarious
History
Birds and All Nature, Vol. 4, No. 2, August 1898: Illustrated by Color Photography
Various
Birds -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals
Bittern, Cormorant, Cuckoo, Dove, Eagle, Hawk, Heron, Kite, Lapwing,
Night-hawk, Osprey, Ostrich, Owl--little and large--Peacock, Pelican,
Quail, Raven, Sparrow, Stork, Swan, Swallow, and Vulture.
[Illustration: From col. Mr. F. Kaempfer.
COYOTE.
1/6 Life-size.
Copyright by
Nature Study Pub. Co., 1898, Chicago.]
THE PRAIRIE WOLF.
This species is more commonly known in the western states by the name
Coyote, where it makes night so hideous that novices unused to the
"unearthly serenade" feel a dismal longing for other latitudes. It is
in size about half way between the Red Fox (see p. 67) and Gray Wolf,
of which we shall present a portrait in a subsequent number. Its color
is similar to that of its larger relative of the plains, but is of a
more yellowish cast.
The Prairie Wolf is an inhabitant of the plains and mountains west
of the Missouri river, and is said to be found from the British
possessions south into Mexico, whence it derived its common name,
Coyote. It was formerly very numerous, but the increase of population
and the disposition to hunt and destroy it, have greatly reduced its
numbers. The Bison, which was formerly its prey, having become almost
extinct, its food supply has been largely cut off. These Wolves subsist
on any refuse they can pick up, and are always found on the outskirts
of settlements or forts, slinking here and there, eking out what
subsistence they may by snatching any stray morsels of food that come
in their way. In the southern portion of its range, the Coyote is a
miserable cur, scarcely larger than the common Fox.
While this Wolf is an arrant coward, it sometimes exhibits a good deal
of sagacity. Near the south coast of San Francisco a farmer had been
much annoyed by the loss of his Chickens. His Hounds had succeeded in
capturing several of the marauding Coyotes, but one fellow constantly
eluded the pursuers by making for the coast or beach, where all traces
of him would be lost. On one occasion the farmer divided his pack
of Hounds and with two or three of the Dogs took a position near the
shore. The Wolf soon approached the ocean with the other detachment of
hounds in close pursuit. It was observed that as the waves receded from
the shore he would follow them as closely as possible, and made no foot
prints in the sand that were not quickly obliterated by the swell. When
at last he had gone far enough, as he supposed, to destroy the scent,
he turned inland.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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