Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-05

whose gloomy depths are drenched by
almost continual rain.
i X X \
A number of geographic races of the
species have been developed by the va
ried character of it's haunts. These are
usually characterized by differences in
size and by paler and grayer shades in
the arid regions and by darker and
browner ones in the humid areas.
The mountain lion. while powerful
enough to be dangerous to man, is in
reality extremely timid Owing to it's
being a potentially dangerous animal,
the popular conception of it is that of a
fearsome beast, whose savage exploits
are celebrated in the folklore of our
frontier. AS matter of fact, few will
there are authentic accounts Of wanton
attacks upon people, just as there are
authentic instances of buck deer and
moose becoming aggressive. 1t has q
wild, screaming cry. which Is thrillingly
impressive when the shades Of evening
are throwing a mysterious gloom over
the forests.
The mountain lion is usually nocturnal.
but in regions where 1t is not hunted it
not infreQuently goes abroad by day.
many miles in a single night, some
times in search OF game and again in
search of new hunting grounds.
A. mountain lion usually secures it's
prey by a silent, cautious stalk, taking
advantage of every cover until within
striking distance. and then. with one or
more powerful leaps, dashing the victim
to the ground with all the stunning i'm
pact of it's weight.
western North America is inhabited
known as coyotes, this being a Spanish
corruption of the Aztec name ''coyotl."
They range from northern Michigan,
northern Alberta and British Columbia
south to Costa Rica, and from western
Iowa and Texas to the Pacific coast.
As a group they are animals of the
open plains and sparely wooded dis
tricts. ranging fr~m sea level to above
timber line on t..e highest mountains
They are most At home on the wide
United States and the table lands Of
Within their great area coyotes
have developed several distinct
snecies and a number OF geographic
faces, distinguished by differences in
Some attain a size almost equaling
that of the gray wolf, while others
are much smaller.
They are less courageous and have
less Of the social instinct than gray
wolves and on the rare occasions
when they HuHI IIt PSS'hC lAAOS wi H.
no doubt, a family party. including
the young Of the year. They appear
to pair more or less permanently and
commonly hunt in couples. The
Young, sometimes numbering as many
as fourteen, are born in a burrow
dug in a bank, or in a den among
broken rocks and lodges. Young
animals are readily tanned. and it is
entirely probable that some of the
dogs found by early explorers among
western Indians may have descended
from coyotes
With the growth Of settlement in
the west and the steady decrease Of
large and small game. coyotes have
become more and more destructive to
poultry and all kinds of live stock.
AS a result, every mans hand is
against them, reinforced by gun, trap
and poison. Despite years of this
persistent warfare. their acute in
telligence. aided by their extraor-
binary fecundity. has enabled them
to hold their own over a great part
OF their original range. Their depre-
dati6ns upon live stock have been so
great that many millions of dollars
have been paid in bounties for their
destruction.