hunting the grisly and other sketches-第32章

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respects　the　coyote　differs　altogether　in　habits　from　its　big
relative。　For　one　thing　it　is　far　more　tolerant　of　man。　In　some
localities　coyotes　are　more　numerous　around　settlements；　and　even　in
the　close　vicinity　of　large　towns；　than　they　are　in　the　frowning　and
desolate　fastnesses　haunted　by　their　grim　elder　brother。

Big　wolves　vary　far　more　in　color　than　the　coyotes　do。　I　have　seen
white；　black；　red；　yellow；　brown；　gray；　and　grizzled　skins；　and　others
representing　every　shade　between；　although　usually　each　locality　has
its　prevailing　tint。　The　grizzled；　gray；　and　brown　often　have
precisely　the　coat　of　the　coyote。　The　difference　in　size　among　wolves
of　different　localities；　and　even　of　the　same　locality；　is　quite
remarkable；　and　so；　curiously　enough；　is　the　difference　in　the　size　of
the　teeth；　in　some　cases　even　when　the　body　of　one　wolf　is　as　big　as
that　of　another。　I　have　seen　wolves　from　Texas　and　New　Mexico　which
were　undersized；　slim　animals　with　rather　small　tusks；　in　no　way　to　be
compared　to　the　long…toothed　giants　of　their　race　that　dwell　in　the
heavily　timbered　mountains　of　the　Northwest　and　in　the　far　North。　As　a
rule；　the　teeth　of　the　coyote　are　relatively　smaller　than　those　of　the
gray　wolf。

Formerly　wolves　were　incredibly　abundant　in　certain　parts　of　the
country；　notably　on　the　great　plains；　where　they　were　known　as　buffalo
wolves；　and　were　regular　attendants　on　the　great　herds　of　the　bison。
Every　traveller　and　hunter　of　the　old　days　knew　them　as　among　the　most
common　sights　of　the　plains；　and　they　followed　the　hunting　parties　and
emigrant　trains　for　the　sake　of　the　scraps　left　in　camp。　Now；　however；
there　is　no　district　in　which　they　are　really　abundant。　The　wolfers；
or　professional　wolf…hunters；　who　killed　them　by　poisoning　for　the
sake　of　their　fur；　and　the　cattlemen；　who　likewise　killed　them　by
poisoning　because　of　their　raids　on　the　herds；　have　doubtless　been　the
chief　instruments　in　working　their　decimation　on　the　plains。　In　the
'70's；　and　even　in　the　early　'80's；　many　tens　of　thousands　of　wolves
were　killed　by　the　wolfers　in　Montana　and　northern　Wyoming　and　western
Dakota。　Nowadays　the　surviving　wolves　of　the　plains　have　learned
caution；　they　no　longer　move　abroad　at　midday；　and　still　less　do　they
dream　of　hanging　on　the　footsteps　of　hunter　and　traveler。　Instead　of
being　one　of　the　most　common　they　have　become　one　of　the　rarest　sights
of　the　plains。　A　hunter　may　wander　far　and　wide　through　the　plains　for
months　nowadays　and　never　see　a　wolf；　though　he　will　probably　see　many
coyotes。　However；　the　diminution　goes　on；　not　steadily　but　by　fits　and
starts；　and　moreover；　the　beasts　now　and　then　change　their　abodes；　and
appear　in　numbers　in　places　where　they　have　been　scarce　for　a　long
period。　In　the　present　winter　of　1892…'93　big　wolves　are　more
plentiful　in　the　neighborhood　of　my　ranch　than　they　have　been　for　ten
years；　and　have　worked　some　havoc　among　the　cattle　and　young　horses。
The　cowboys　have　been　carrying　on　the　usual　vindictive　campaign
against　them；　a　number　have　been　poisoned；　and　a　number　of　others　have
fallen　victims　to　their　greediness；　the　cowboys　surprising　them　when
gorged　to　repletion　on　the　carcass　of　a　colt　or　calf；　and；　in
consequence；　unable　to　run；　so　that　they　are　easily　ridden　down；
roped；　and　then　dragged　to　death。

Yet　even　the　slaughter　wrought　by　man　in　certain　localities　does　not
seem　adequate　to　explain　the　scarcity　or　extinction　of　wolves；
throughout　the　country　at　large。　In　most　places　they　are　not　followed
any　more　eagerly　than　are　the　other　large　beasts　of　prey；　and　they　are
usually　followed　with　less　success。　Of　all　animals　the　wolf　is　the
shyest　and　hardest　to　slay。　It　is　almost　or　quite　as　difficult　to
still…hunt　as　the　cougar；　and　is　far　more　difficult　to　kill　with
hounds；　traps；　or　poison；　yet　it　scarcely　holds　its　own　as　well　as　the
great　cat；　and　it　does　not　begin　to　hold　its　own　as　well　as　the　bear；
a　beast　certainly　never　more　readily　killed；　and　one　which　produces
fewer　young　at　a　birth。　Throughout　the　East　the　black　bear　is　common
in　many　localities　from　which　the　wolf　has　vanished　completely。　It　at
present　exists　in　very　scanty　numbers　in　northern　Maine　and　the
Adirondacks；　is　almost　or　quite　extinct　in　Pennsylvania；　lingers　here
and　there　in　the　mountains　from　West　Virginia　to　east　Tennessee；　and
is　found　in　Florida；　but　is　everywhere　less　abundant　than　the　bear。　It
is　possible　that　this　destruction　of　the　wolves　is　due　to　some　disease
among　them；　perhaps　to　hydrophobia；　a　terrible　malady　from　which　it　is
known　that　they　suffer　greatly　at　times。　Perhaps　the　bear　is　helped　by
its　habit　of　hibernating；　which　frees　it　from　most　dangers　during
winter；　but　this　cannot　be　the　complete　explanation；　for　in　the　South
it　does　not　hibernate；　and　yet　holds　its　own　as　well　as　in　the　North。
What　makes　it　all　the　more　curious　that　the　American　wolf　should
disappear　sooner　than　the　bear　is　that　the　reverse　is　the　case　with
the　allied　species　of　Europe；　where　the　bear　is　much　sooner　killed　out
of　the　land。

Indeed　the　differences　of　this　sort　between　nearly　related　animals　are
literally　inexplicable。　Much　of　the　difference　in　temperament　between
such　closely　allied　species　as　the　American　and　European　bears　and
wolves　is　doubtless　due　to　their　surroundings　and　to　the　instincts
they　have　inherited　through　many　generations；　but　for　much　of　the
variation　it　is　not　possible　to　offer　any　explanation。　In　the　same　way
there　are　certain　physical　differences　for　which　it　is　very　hard　to
account；　as　the　same　conditions　seem　to　operate　in　directly　reverse
ways　with　different　animals。　No　one　can　explain　the　process　of　natural
selection　which　has　resulted　in　the　otter　of　America　being　larger　than
the　otter　of　Europe；　while　the　badger　is　smaller；　in　the　mink　being
with　us　a　much　stouter　animal　than　its　Scandinavian　and　Russian
kinsman；　while　the　reverse　is　true　of　our　sable　or　pine　marten。　No　one
can　say　why　the　European　red　deer　should　be　a　pigmy　compared　to　its
giant　brother；　the　American　wapiti；　why　the　Old　World　elk　should
average　smaller　in　size　than　the　almost　indistinguishable　New　World
moose；　and　yet　the　bison　of　Lithuania　and　the　Caucasus　be　on　the　whole
larger　and　more　formidable　than　its　American　cousin。　In　the　same　way
no　one　can　tell　why　under　like　conditions　some　game；　such　as　the　white
goat　and　the　spruce　grouse；　should　be　tamer　than　other　closely　allied
species；　like　the　mountain　sheep　and　ruffled　grouse。　No　one　can　say
why　on　the　whole　the　wolf　of　Scandinavia　and　northern　Russia　should　be
larger　and　more　dangerous　than　the　average　wolf　of　the　Rocky
Mountains；　while　between　the　bears　of　the　same　regions　the　comparison
must　be　exactly　reversed。

The　difference　even　among　the　wolves　of　different　sections　of　our　own
country　is　very　notable。　It　may　be　true　that　the　species　as　a　whole　is
rather　weaker　and　less　ferocious　than　the　European　wolf；　but　it　is
certainly　not　true　of　the　wolves　of　certain　localities。　The　great
timber　wolf　of　the　central　and　northern　chains　of　the　Rockies　and
coast　ranges　is　in　every　way　a　more　formidable　creature　than　the
buffalo　wolf　of　the　plains；　although　they　intergrade。　The　skins　and
skulls　of　the　wolves　of　north…western　Montana　and　Washington　which　I
have　seen　were　quite　as　large　and　showed　quite　as　stout　claws　and
teeth　as　the　skins　and　skulls　of　Russian　and　Scandinavian　wolves；　and
I　believe　that　these　great　timber　wolves　are　in　every　way　as
formidable　as　their　Old　World　kinsfolk。　However；　they　live　where　they
come　in　contact　with　a　population　of　rifle…bearing　frontier　hunters；
who　are　very　different　from　European　peasants　or　Asiatic　tribesmen；
and　they　have；　even　when　most　hungry；　a　wholesome　dread　of　human
beings。　Yet　I　doubt　if　an　unarmed　man　would　be　entirely　safe　should
he；　while　alone　in　the　forest　in　mid…winter　encounter　a　fair…sized
pack　of　ravenously　hungry　timber　wolves。

A　full…grown　dog…wolf　of　the　northern　Rockies；　in　exceptional
instances；　reaches　a　height　of　thirty…two　inches　and　a　weight　of　130
pounds；　a　big　buffalo　wolf　of　the　upper　Missouri　stands　thirty　or
thirty…one　inches　at　the　shoulder　and　weighs　about　110　pou