I was told recently, from a sometime reliable source, that when Lewis and Clark sent examples of western flora and fauna back east some of the labels got mixed up. To be precise the labels on the prairie dog and on the coyote, so in fact our coyotes are actually supposed to be called the prairie dogs and the little prairie dog is supposed to go by the Indian name coyote. Which kinda makes sense since coyote look like dogs of the prairie and prairie dogs look like, well, chipmunks on steroids. As I was thinking about this curious trivial fact (or for the more cynical of you, this urban legend) it occurred to me that perhaps this is how the ferret gained its bloodthirsty reputation. Once the word got out that ferrets ate coyote for dinner it must have been assumed that they were pretty darn viscous, and the rumors of cow killing could only follow. So I am very pleased to now be able to pass on to the FML this information and I hope that this new knowledge will help all of you understand how our raisin eating babies could be confused with blood sucking chicken killers ;-). I am also hoping that one of you may know the validity, or lack thereof, of this story. (Perhaps you Bob and his pack of 13?) E.C. and Tica (If I order a pair of rocket-powered skates from ACME Inc. I bet I could get a coyote) Mole (Coyote? Only if in kibble form.) and Patas (Coyote? No problem let me at 'um, I'll get 'um!) -- Erika C. Shugart Department of Biology [log in to unmask] University of Virginia [Posted in FML issue 1605]