The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1900-02-09
ANIMAL CHIvALRY.
The Canine RecognitiOn Of the Prin-
ciple That "YOu Can't Soak
Lady,"

The toast of "The Ladies" would be
cordially received at auy canine ban
quet, and the courtesy with which the
privileges of the sex are respected is a
most creditable feature of canine con-
duct. do not, of course, refer merely
to the elaborate display of politeness
and fine manners seen everywhere dur
ing the period of courtship.
Courtesy to and respect for the weak
er sex go far beyond this. No self-re-
speeding dog viii bite female, except
in the EXTREMIST need of self-defense;
though am sorry to- say that the lady
herself, as a rule, has no scruple what
ever about Furnishing to the full eS-
tent of her power, any individual of the
opposite sex that happens to be inferior
to her in size or strength. And, indeed,
like the woman in the crowded bus,
she is inclined TO demand her privileges
as rights. A vixenish female will make
more trouble in pack of hounds than
any three of the sterner sex, for when
ever dissatisfied she hasn't the slightest
reserve about speaking out at once,
and, as her cause is extremely likely
to be championed, upon general prin-
ciples, by some chivalrous male, free
fight is frequently the result.
So strong is this unwillingless to
''strike a female" that it really becomes
most annoying obstacle in attempt
ing to clear neighborhood of wolves,
as few male dogs will attack a she wolf,
or in some cases even follow her trail.
/ we'll remember an eXasperating ex-
perience Of this sort in the early days
of my wolf hunting. A she wolf had
been clearly marked down, in certain
wild tract of dense hazel brush, by the
fearful havoc she was making among
the lambs Of the farmers in its neigh
borhood. Tn response to- the Mace
DOMAIN cry an old hunter and myself
united our packs and rode over to draw
the thicket. Leaving our friends posted
in the open country around we proceed
ed to ride. down through the middle of
it. to direct the movements of our pack.
Working my way through the thickest
of the tangle my mare suddenly snort
ed and reared SO violently as almost to
unseat me. I saw at once that she had
scented something, and looking quick
ly down the slope of the hill in front 1
was just in time to catch the flash Of a
gray back and brush as it leaped across
the valley of a little stream below me.
It was only the work of minute to
swing the hounds on to the hot scent
and away they all went in a compact
body, and with the ringing chorus
which stirs the heart of the hunter as
no other sound can. Up the hill and
over the next ridge they swept at full
speed, with the scent breast high. and
we were just galloping off to our re-
spective runways, in the hope of get
ting shot, when all at once the chorus
ceased as suddenly as it had begun. We
listened anxiously for several minutes,
thinking they had turned up side val
ley and we would soon catch the cry
again, but not sound could we hear. l
was completely puzzled, but my COM
panion swore pfcturesquely and re-
marked in a resigned tone that this was
just what he expected; the sons of un-
mentionable maternal ancestors had
caught up with the wolf, found that
she was vixen. closed the episode on
the spot with apologies, and were now
on their way back to us. Sure enough,
in ten or Is minutes back they trot-
ted, looking much ashamed of them
selves, but quite determined to have
nothing more to do with that trail.
My friend assured me that they would
often refuse even to take up the trail
of vixen in the first place. And I
found that it was the custom with most
hunters to run at least one bitch hound
in every pack, simply because she would
have no hesitation whatever in attack
ing at once any vixen or even half
grown cub which might be come up
with. When once the fight is started,
then the rest of the hounds will join
in to help their friend.-Contempo
Review.