I. THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT 1 II. THE HAYMAKER OF THE HEIGHTS 16 III. INTRODUCING MR. AND MRS. SKUNK 31 IV. THE PERSISTENT BEAVER 47 V. THE OTTER PLAYS ON 60 VI. THE BIGHORN IN THE SNOW 72 VII. THE CLOWN OF THE PRAIRIES 84 VIII. THE BLACK BEAR--COMEDIAN 98 IX. ON WILD LIFE TRAILS 113 X. REBUILDING A BEAVER COLONY 126 XI. THE WARY WOLF 141 XII. WINTER WAYS OF ANIMALS 158 XIII. PRONGHORN OF THE PLAINS 175 XIV. THE MOUNTAIN LION 189 XV. FAMINE IN BEAVER-LAND 205 XVI. DOG-TOWN DIGGINGS 215 XVII. ECHO MOUNTAIN GRIZZLY 229 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE GOAT-LAND 20 A WILD CAT 36 BEAR FEET 36 A BLACK BEAR 37 ANTELOPE 37 A BEAVER HOUSE AND WINTER FOOD SUPPLY 68 A BEAVER HOUSE IN THE FIRST SNOW 68 COYOTE--CLOWN OF THE PRAIRIES 69 A BEAVER CANAL 84 A NEW BEAVER DAM 84 THE MOUNTAIN LION 85 THE PRAIRIE DOG 116 THE CONY 116 LOOKING FOR SMALL FAVOURS 117 MOUNTAIN LION 132 BIGHORN MOUNTAIN SHEEP 133 A WILD LIFE TRAIL CENTRE 180 MY DEPARTING CALLER 181 JOHNNY, MY GRIZZLY CUB 196 ECHO MOUNTAIN GRIZZLY 197 WATCHED BY WILD ANIMALS CHAPTER I THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT As a flock of wild goats wound in and out among the crevasses and crossed the slender ice bridges of a glacier on Mount Rainier they appeared for all the world like a party of skillful mountain climbers. Not until I had studied them for a few seconds through my field glasses did I realize that they were goats. There were twenty-seven of them, nannies, billies, and kids, strung out in a crooked line, single file. Once safely across this glacier they lingered to look round. The kids played, the old goats had friendly bouts, and one or two couples scratched each other. After a delay of more than an hour they set off round the mountain and I followed.