The San Francisco call., 1897-02-28

AyA1 OF California and taken into
the nearest town to be photographed.
1t required the firm persuasion of
IL stout chain to induce the frightened
4 little animal to face the dangerous look
Hng machine aimed at him with deadly
intent. His terror is increased when he
recognizes his worst enemy peering at
him through the fol Is of hideous black
flag that means mo quarter"
1t is an ordeal that rarely comes to an
elderly, sed ate coyote
Some of the tricks Of this little. insg-
njticant-looking creature are interesting.
He will come down from the hills to the
feeding grounds of the wild geese, and
with an innocent far-away look OF indii-
ference will slowly circle around tbs flock,
his gaze fixed on some imaginary object
up i'll the air. His pace gradually in
creases, the awkward geese begin 10 mass
toward common center and try to follow
his movements by turning their heads;
they forget 10 fly as the willy animal mar
rows his circle and increases his pace.
Suddenly the coyote is seen flying up the
hillside, and firmly cutched in his strong,
sharp teeth is a helpless goose, too dizzy
TO fly.
In the foothill ranches in early days the
animals by covering the trunks of trees,
in which the chickens roasted, with old
tin. But when, as in one case, the hen
disappeared just the same, the old rancher
sat up one moonlight night to see how 1t
was done. He saw Mr.. Coyote slowly cir
cling around the tree, pursuing the same
tactics which secures him a fat goose.
Presently, down tumbles hen, her cap
tor closes his teeth on her neck and is off
like a fash.
And me a-settin' there like 1 hadn't no
mo more gumption than them hens, while
that pesky critter played sich a trick on
me" the owner of the hens sheepishly ad-
mitted.
Up in the Sierra foothills 1 once lis
tened to a coyote concert that made the
l summer boarders at a lonely ranch thank
1ul for a Lighted house and companion
ship. A horse was accidentally killed and
the carcass was lett in a meadow about
half mile west Of the house. That sam
evening, while the children were out il
the yard playing, cry, or rather serle,
OF cries, bowls and walls suddenly hoated
down from hill to the east of the house
The children few into the house, declar
ing that II made ''cold streaks run up aud
down their backs to hear all the grizzlies
and screech owls rying at once"
Our old host came in and said, ats
kiotys; come out and hear EN- sing"
The great watchdog, fercely barking,
bounded up the hill, only to be greeted
with sharp. screams OF defiance, and then
dead silence as he neared the lines of trees:
he trotted leisurely back, confident that he
had quelIed the utbreak, but, as he
reached the house, that weird chorus broke
out again, and the dog, by this time in
rage, went tearing mady up the hill, only
to repeat his former experience. So the
contest went on until midnight snaps,
snars and blood curdling cries from the
tantalizing creatures on the hill, and
from the bafied dog savage barks as he
vainly protested against an invader who
was able to outwit his every move.
The next morning our old host ex.
planned the unusual entertainment, for it
was the only time during a stay of two
months that we heard coyote.
I've been out TO the medder and there
aInt uuthin left of that horse but the
bones. The singin' on the hill last night
was jst to fool the dog while the other
kiotys et.''
The old man knows the question the
boys are going 10 ask and he answers, Il
reckon they took turns singin' an eatin'"
Some years ago a white coyote was
found in the foothills wedged between two
Aocks. The animal was unhurt and was
Presented to Woodward's Gardens in San
Rancisco.
The coyote is called coward. He is
brave enough to lead a forlorn hope
Think of this little coward (?) calmly
''playing dead in the presence of his two
most dangerous foes, man and dog. A
hunter who had slightly wounded coyote
was much surprised to see it fall perfectly
limp on the ground and apparently dead.
The dogs looked at the coyote and then at
their master with an jnquiring expression.
Not quiver of the eyehds, not the
slightest rise or fall OF the chest, no. the
tremble OF limb, betrayed this little
creature in his wonderful play of death.
The hunter gently prodded the corpse,
lifted the limp legs, but they fell without
witch Then the hunter started slowly
down the hill, taking the dogs with him.
a few feet away, he cautiously turned to
look at the coyote. There was a gray
shadow fleeing up the hillside with a
speed that meant sudden deliverance from
dreadful death.
The coyote is easily trapped by fasten-
ing piece of meat just out of his reach.
In jump ping for the meat his hind feet are
caught in trap hidden under leaves.
What wonderful things the coyote might
tell US if he were ever allowed to speak for
himself. How he eIuded the clutch
Of the giant cliff-dwellers, now happily
tinct. the crunching jaws of savage ami
Aals, or deadly arrows of the Indian.
In the palmy days of placer mining he
must have witnessed certain social func-
tions among the miners that taught him
to dodge an enemy who hangs first and
talks afterwald.
Native Sons of the Golden Westare wont
to indulge in rabbit drives, which is a
ruthless invasion of the coyotes pre-
serves.