The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-11-21

About a dozen species have been rec
ognizcd Of which eight are found IN
the United stRtes Four arc restricted
to Mexico ana Central America. They
are too suspicious to be easily trapped
or poisnsi although IN portions Of
Mexico. where the natives for years
have procticed systematic poisoning. the
coyote Is becoming rare. Coyotes breed
once a year. Their mating season is
late IN January or early IN FEBRUARY.
Tho young range IN number from four
to dozen. a favorite place for bur-
rowing is at the base Of knobs in the
open prairie by June yhe pups are
playing around the mouths OF the
burrows and by July the home Is de-
serted ard the young coyotes are rust
ling for themselves The coyote eats
both animal and vegetable food They
are great s0ilferers OF watermelons In
Oklahoma, always choosing a ripe
melon.
Practically the only benefit derived
from coyotes by the farmer in this por-
tion OF the southwest is their destruc-
ton Of rabbits, which they pursue and
drvour when carrion Is scarce or food
more easily obtained cannot be found
The big jaclrabbit for a short distance
lH NMINIfT IMAM ANf NNNNAff hhA AtANtA' III
durance. Prof. Lantz says that while
single coyote would not be able to
run down a jackrabbit by hunting to-
gether and taking turns. in the drive,
ana by taking advantage OF the ten
dency Of the hare 10 run in circle.
they are able to capture IT, Eye wit
uesses to such n performance state that
they fight over the division Of the rab-
bits carcass. but that all obtain a
share
The prairie dog IS a choice morsel
for the coyote. The coyote hides be-
hind clumps Of weeds or lunches OF
grass at some distance from the bur
rows The grass in prairie dog VII
laee usually Is cropped close and all
tam weeds are cut down to give an un-
obstructed view Of the Surroundings and
To prevent the undetected approach OF
an enemy Prairie dogs will abandon
a village rather than remain where
the growth Of weeds Is rank.
Lacking a hiding place from which
he can stalk his prey In the village
does not battle the coyote An observer
in New Mexico described this trick OF
coyote;
"The coyote started at one end OF
the town and ran AT lightning speed
IN straight line until he cut Off one
prairie dog from it's burrow at the other
end OF the town. When the prairie
dog saw that it could not get to its
hole it stopped and kicked and squealed
until the coyote caught II and killed
It very much in the same way that a
dog kills a rat"
This hoWling OF the coyote IS one
OF the most remarkable demonstrations
Of noise 20 be found among animals.
They are silent during the day; after
sunset and before sunrise their vocal or
gans ae in fun play. The rapidity Of
their bowling and the amazing modula-
tions would convince an inexperienced
person that the uproar OF two was made
by not less than a hundred fhey are
especially active on moonlight nights,
and the sight OF campfire is always
a signal for an uncanny serenade.
Prof Lantz was especially interested
in providing at reasonable cost a coy
ote- proof woven wire fence for the pro-
lection OF domestic animals. While at
Chattanooga he conducted a number OF
experiments in "the big pasture" where
President Roosevelt hunted last spring,
to test the ability OF coyotes 10 escape
from enclosures tIe had particularly
In View the protection OF sheep. hav-
ing been told that in the sheep coun-
try OF the southwest the annual losses
from wild animals amounted to 20 per
cent Of the flock. In the more thiekly