MOUNTAIN COYOTE. Canis latrans lestes⁵

Field characters.—General appearance that of a large collie dog (pl. 39a); head and body about 30 to 33 inches long, tail with hairs 12 to 15 inches; ears pointed, about 4-1/2 inches (114 mm.) high, habitually carried erect. General coloration gray, or grayish brown, with black along back, and with reddish brown of varying tone on nose, ears, back, and legs. Tail very bushy, 4 or more inches in diameter, black tipped. Tracks: Dog-like, longer than wide, in a large animal 2-1/4 by 2-3/4 inches (6 by 7 cm.); impression of heel pad but little larger than that of any individual toe; claw marks not always showing. Droppings: Dog-like, about 3/4 inch in diameter. Voice: A loud, moderately high-pitched barking, interspersed with shrill wailings, usually continued for several seconds; rarely heard except during the night.

Occurrence.—Moderately common almost throughout the Yosemite section, from the westernmost foothills eastward across the Sierran crest to the Mono Lake district. In winter some of the high mountain individuals descend to lower altitudes, and range down on the west slope to at least the 3500 foot contour, as at Cascades. In Yosemite Valley the animal is most often seen or heard in fall and winter. Frequents various sorts of country; often seen in the open. Usually seen singly.

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⁵Our series of specimens, skins and skulls, from the Yosemite region, serve to demonstrate beyond much doubt that two races of 'mountain' coyote are represented, a high mountain and Great Basin form, and a foothill form. The Park rangers, and trappers generally, recognize the two, often distinguishing the larger, stouter, and more grayish colored animal under the name "gray wolf." This is certainly the Canis latrans lestes Merriam. The foothill animal, ranging down the west slope of the Sierras from about the 6000-foot contour nearly to the edge of the San Joaquin Valley, differs from lestes proper, in being of smaller average size, in having brighter color (more reddish) and a lighter built skull, and in certain other cranial characters. The relationship of this foothill form is clearly close to lestes, under which name we place it. Some of the specimens at hand from both El Portal and Yosemite Valley are intermediate in character, indicating that there had been free interbreeding of the animals at about the level where their respective ranges meet. There is likelihood that a third kind, the Valley Coyote, Canis ochropus ochropus Eschscholtz, also occurs in the Yosemite section, at its extreme western end, about Snelling. Unfortunately, we obtained no specimens of coyote out on the plains. This coyote of the open San Joaquin Valley is sharply distinct from either of the races of the Mountain Coyote by reason of its coarser, less furry coat, which is of a light reddish rather than either deep reddish or grayish cast of color. It has much larger ears, a longer slenderer snout, and smaller teeth.

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In spite of the great amount of trapping and hunting carried on against them for many years, coyotes remain fairly common in the Yosemite section. Summer travelers, especially in the territory above the level of Yosemite Valley, are likely to catch sight of the animals or, if not so fortunate, at least to see their tracks or hear their howling. At almost every camp which we made in the region we ourselves were apprized of the presence of the animals in one or another of these ways.

The coyote is not easily to be confused with any other wild mammal. It resembles in general appearance some of the domestic breeds of dogs, especially the collie and the 'wolf dogs,' yet offers decided points of difference. The body of the coyote is high and narrow (compressed), the face and snout long and tapering (pl. 39a), the ears high (4 inches or more in an adult) and habitually carried erect, the tail moderately long, round, and bushy, the feet smaller than in a dog of the same bulk, and the legs slenderer and relatively long, the body being carried well above the ground. From all of the foxes the coyote differs in its much larger size and in its relatively longer legs. From the California Valley Coyote, which lives on the San Joaquin plains, the Mountain Coyote is distinguished by larger size, stouter build, greater weight of body, and heavier fur. In tone of color some of the high mountain individuals are so much paler than the foothill and valley animals as to give rise to the local term "gray wolf."

An average adult Mountain Coyote measures about 45 inches from tip of nose to tip of tail. The tail is about 13 inches long. The height of the animal at the shoulder is about 20 inches. The weight of a male is in the neighborhood of 25 pounds. Some will exceed this weight, while many of the animals which are trapped in late fall, that is, the young of the year, will weigh considerably less. Females are somewhat smaller and of lighter weight than males of a corresponding age.

The pelage of the Mountain Coyote is heavy all through the year, being always denser and 'woollier' than that of the Valley species at the same season. In the coat of the Mountain Coyote there are relatively few of the coarse overhairs or 'guard hairs' while there is proportionately more of the fine under-fur. The reverse is the case in the Valley Coyote. In other words, the Mountain Coyote is a 'woolly' animal; while the Valley species is 'hairy.' A thick coat of fur to protect it from cold is of course essential for an animal which dwells during the winter months in snow-covered mountains. The coat of the Mountain Coyote is probably subjected to relatively slight wear, because the animal lives more in the open and has its den among rocks rather than in a burrow in the ground. Its tail never loses its rounded 'bottle-brush' form. One molt occurs each year, in the fall, taking place some time between September and December. The transition from the old hair and fur to the new does not bring about nearly so great a change in appearance in this species as it does in the Valley Coyote. Just after the molt is completed, when all the old hair has fallen out and all of the new is fully grown in, the fur is prime, from the standpoint of the trapper and fur dealer. The wear which does occur in the Mountain Coyote, even though slight, results in lightening the coat color; some of the black hair tippings are lost and at the same time the reddish tones pale out, so that the general gray tone becomes even more pronounced.

With the coming of autumn, many of the small mammals at the higher elevations go into hibernation and, with the arrival of the snow, the retreats and forage grounds of others are covered over. The Mountain Coyotes, which have lived well all summer, are now forced to hunt more assiduously for food. The migratory tendency which results in the appearance of some of the big gray coyotes at the lower altitudes on the west side of the mountains may well be a result of this stress. In October, the numbers of coyotes in Yosemite Valley are augmented, and from then on the animals are more or less common in the environs of the Valley between the altitudes of 3500 and 7000 feet. The high-zone animals probably never go lower than is necessary to find an adequate supply of food. In Yosemite they keep to the north side of the Valley about Mirror Lake and in the taluses near Rocky Point, Yosemite Falls, and Indian Cañon, where favorable den sites abound, and whence they can sally forth at night to search the meadows for mice and gophers, the houseyards for chickens, or the garbage pits for table scraps.

The Mountain Coyote ranges upward regularly to above timber line. On July 17, 1915, tracks of a Mountain Coyote were seen in Donohue Pass, altitude 11,100 feet, near Mount Lyell. This is our highest station for the occurrence of the species. This animal had crossed the 'pot-marked' snowfield, stepping carefully on the edges of the 'riffles,' seldom dropping into the holes.

The track of a coyote cannot be distinguished surely from that of a large dog, but as dogs are not allowed in Yosemite National Park, save when they are occasionally used by rangers, little chance of confusion on that score is likely to arise. The four toes and one heel pad each make an impression, that of the heel being only slightly the larger. On soft ground or snow, into which the feet can sink, the claws, also, leave imprints. The foot impression as a whole is longer than broad, that of a large animal in soft snow measuring 80 by 70 millimeters. The Mountain Lion track is much larger, and proportionately wider, the heel imprint is much wider, and no claw marks ever show. The wolverine's track shows five unequal toes and a very large triangular heel pad. The tracks of all the other mountain carnivores (bears of course excepted) are much smaller than those of the Mountain Coyote.

The coyote's foot is so constructed as to give the animal, in spite of its weight and size, a decided advantage when traveling over snow. The toes spread somewhat, thus giving an expanded area of support. The coyote is thereby enabled to run over relatively soft and deep snow, where a deer would break through and make, at best, only slow progress.

The gait of a Mountain Coyote resembles in certain respects that of a dog. Undisturbed, the animal walks or trots. When stalking prey, such as a mouse or gopher, in the open, it proceeds very slowly and with caution. Its best gait for making distance is a gallop, which is easier than the gallop of most dogs. The speed at which a frightened coyote can lope away is surprising to anybody observing one for the first time. The animal now and then casts a crafty glance to one side or the other but this in no degree lessens the rate of its departure. We did not ourselves catch sight of more than a single coyote at any one time. Ranger Townsley reports seeing two together on one occasion. We have no definite knowledge of the animals occurring in larger groups at any time, in spite of rumors that they some times "hunt in packs."

The Mountain Coyote as compared with the Valley species is thought to be of bolder disposition; and it is much more of a hunter of the larger active sorts of prey. The Mountain Coyote seems to prefer to get its prey through capture in the open or by digging it out. It is less of a carrion feeder. It is not at all averse, however, to eating carrion. It will feed on the carcass of a deer long dead; and we have captured coyotes in traps baited with the partly decayed bodies of small mammals and birds discarded days before in the preparation of specimens.

On July 25, 1920, at the Dudley ranch, 6 miles east of Coulterville, Mr. Donald D. McLean had an exceptional opportunity to see a coyote in action. Mr. McLean had taken his position at daylight on top of one of the barns. Considerably before sunrise a coyote suddenly appeared close to the house and snapped up one of a flock of chickens that had just started out to forage. The coyote nabbed the chicken so quickly that the bird gave but one frightened squawk. Seemingly the coyote held the head and breast of the bird both at once in its jaws; also he so held it that it could not flap its wings; and he quickly and quietly bore it out of sight.

The majority of the Mountain Coyotes trapped are relatively young, for it is of course the younger, less experienced individuals that most easily fall victims to the trapper's skill. Some individuals may be trapped yet escape, and these probably carefully shun traps and bait thereafter. Removal of even a small number of the younger coyotes, however, gives the others a greater chance for survival since there are fewer to use up the available food supply. Those Mountain Coyotes who, made wise ('educated') through experience, survive their various enemies, grow to unusually large size and probably attain to ages far above the average for the species. These particularly old, large, and crafty individuals sometimes live in a locality for years and become well known to the residents of the region. One such animal was reported to us in 1915 to be living in the vicinity of Sweetwater Creek. These large individuals of the Mountain Coyote are the present day "wolves" of the Yosemite region. No true wolf is known to have occurred anywhere in middle California since about 1870.

The most usual utterance to be heard from coyotes is a rapid series of rather high pitched barking notes, interspersed with shrill wails, the whole continued for several seconds at a time. Trapped animals have been heard to give low growls and snarls, and we may infer that these weaker notes are used by the coyotes when in the wild, either toward others of their kind, or when alone and pursuing prey. The voice of the Mountain Coyote, as usually heard, is deeper toned than that of the Valley species, and so much more voluminous that to one observer it suggested comparison with a steam whistle. There is less of the high-pitched wailing, or squealing, in the voice of the Mountain Coyote, and its howling is therefore more like that of a large domestic dog. The barking choruses are most often heard in early morning or late evening; sometimes they are given during the night, especially when it is moonlight, but they are rarely heard during the middle of the day. Often, when one animal, or a pair, calls, others in the vicinity will answer. Thus, at Williams Butte, on September 18, 1915, at 5:40 A.M., one or more coyotes off to the south began baying. These were answered by others nearby, and then the animals called back and forth for some time. At 9:30 A.M., the same day, in broad sunlight, others were heard, and at 7:15 P.M. there was another chorus. Loud noises sometimes start coyotes barking. On the night of July 28, 1915, at Tenaya Lake, two burros brayed, whereupon coyotes in the neighborhood set up a succession of calls.

The chorus may, in reality, be the product of but one individual, whose intonations are such as to give the effect of two or even more voices heard simultaneously. We are unable to give any conclusive statement in this regard.

The food of the Mountain Coyote includes a wide variety of items, some of which have been alluded to in the preceding paragraphs. Usually, little knowledge of the coyote's food habits can be obtained by direct observation, as the animals do much of their hunting and feeding during the night. Even persons whose business keeps them out of doors much of the time in good coyote country do not often see a coyote actually eating. Our evidence, therefore, is, much of it, indirect. By far the greatest amount of data now at hand has been obtained by examining faeces (droppings). The hair and bones of mammals, the feathers of birds, and the seeds of plants are often recognizable in the droppings of the animal, and in many instances they may be identified even as to the species.

The droppings of a Mountain Coyote found in a trail at the head of Yosemite Creek basin on October 9, 1915, contained the forepaws of a Sierra Nevada Pocket Gopher (Thomomys monticola monticola), jaws, other bones, and hair of an adult and an immature Gambel White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus gambeli), hair of the California Ground Squirrel (Citellus beecheyi beecheyi), and hair of the Rocky Mountain Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus). Another lot contained what appeared to be hair of the Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel. A third lot of faeces, collected near Dudley on August 9, 1920, consisted almost entirely of seeds from manzanita berries (Arctostaphylos mariposa).

Deer hair is commonly found in the droppings of the Mountain Coyote, but this fact does not necessarily mean that coyotes themselves regularly kill deer. On the contrary, it is likely that much of the coyote's venison comes from carcasses of deer killed and left cached by the Mountain Lion. Ranger Townsley has told us that on April 11, 1916, near Grouse Creek, he came upon two Mountain Coyotes circling the carcass of a deer which had been killed by a Mountain Lion, and that they were evidently about to feed on the deer when frightened off by shots. However, the coyote is known to have pursued and killed deer. Young does and fawns are probably the ones most often obtained in this way. When, in early winter, the deer are overtaken by a fall of snow more than a foot in depth, progress for them becomes difficult; they may be more easily and successfully run down by coyotes then than in the summer.