Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-09-19
NATURAL HISTORY.
Wolves and Coyotes.

Wolyes and Coyotes.
The coyote is much smaller than his
gray brother. The latter is nearly as
large as Newfoundland dog, the form
er about twice the size of cat. The
coyote fancies camp fire, and sits on a
hillock within sight of its place, barking
for hours. The gray wolf bays the
moon like dog. Graham says he has
seen them sitting on the highest rocks
gazing at the bright orb with their heads
thrown back uttering unearthly bowls.
The wolf scorns the coyote. When the
large wolves drag down an old buffalo
bull the coyotes huddle in the vicinity,
licking their chops and barking, as
though begging share of the prey.
Should these venture too near, the big
fellows utter ominous growls, and the
coyotes stink away, tails between their
legs and heads turned over their shout
ders. The coyote quickly determines
the status Of hunter. IF he finds him
killing wolves he keeps at respectful
distance; but if he is only hunting
bears, antelope, or buffalo, the little fell
low becomes quite social. While bear
hunter was butohering game coyotes
patiently watched his operation, and a
gray wolf loped hungrily on an outer
circle. The trapper threw a piece of
meat to the small fellows, who ran off
and were waylaid by the big wolf. They
dropped the meat and returned, but
seemed to learn nothing by experience,
for they fed the robber as long as the
hunter chucked them the meat.
Many coyotes pick up their supplies
in the prairie-dog colonies. IF one is
lurking in the streets and sees a dog
away from his hole, he steals upon him
with the utmost secrecy, striving to cut
off his retreat. An old dog, however, is
rarely caught mapping. Some Of the
fraternity are sure to espy the wolf, and
a warning bark sends the dog into his
hole, with tantaizing shake of the tail.
The coyote despondently peers into the
hole, takes away the dirt with paw, and
shifts at the lost meal. He gets his eye
on another dog, and crawls toward the
hole like cat upon the mouse. The
warning bark is again heard, and a
second meal disappears. Infatuated by
his disappointment, the wolf frequently
turns upon the little sentry, and for a
few seconds makes the sand fly from the
entrance of his residence. Worn out by
his futile efforts, he fattens himself
upon the sand behind the hole, and,
motionless as statue, watches it for
hours. IF the dog pops out his head he
is gone. The wolf springs upon him,
the jaws come together like the snap of
trap, and the helpless little canine is
turned into succulent supper. One
Meier, well-known buffalo hunter, was
riding across dog town some years ago,
when he saw what he supposed to be a
dead coyote stretched out at one OF the
holes. He dismounted and lifted it by
the tail, intending to take the body to
camp and skin it. The coyote made a
snap at his leg, wriggled from his grasp
and sped over the prairie more surprised
than the trapper. He was in sound
sleep when caught. But the coyotes
greatest harvest is in the spring of the
year, when they fatten themselves at the
expense of the inexperienced young dogs
caught wandering from home Whole
families enjoying the cool evening breeze
on the mountains above their burrows
are taken unawares, and the tender young
snapped up before their parents can
force them under ground.