e Blue, where acorns and other food is abundant.

Mountain lions also wander over all parts of the reserve, but are common
only in the rough country along the Blue. Wildcats are rather common and
widely distributed, but are far more numerous on the Black and the Blue
rivers. Timber wolves were once rather common, but are now nearly
extinct, owing to their persecution by owners of sheep and
cattle. Coyotes occur in this district occasionally in summer. Wild
turkeys are found more or less generally throughout this section of the
reserve, retreating in winter to the warmer country along the breaks of
the Blue and the canyon of Black River, where they sometimes gather in
very large flocks.

NOTES ON SETTLEMENTS, ROADS AND OTHER MATTERS.

The greater part of this section of the Black Mesa Reserve is unsettled,
but the northeastern corner, along Nutrioso Creek and the head of San
Francisco River, is traversed by a wagon road leading to
Springerville. Within the limits of the reservation on this road are two
small farming villages of Nutriose and Alpine. The owners of the small
farms along the valleys of these streams also raise a limited number of
cattle and horses on the surrounding hills. A few claims are also held
at scattered points along the extreme northern edge of the reserve
between Springerville and Nutrioso. Between 1883 and 1895 several herds
of cattle were grazed on the head of Black River, and ranged in winter
down on the breaks of the Blue and the canyons of Black River; but I
understand that these ranges have since been abandoned by the cattle
men. For some years the sheep men have grazed their flocks in summer
over the Big Mesa country and through the surrounding open forest. In
addition to the damage done by the grazing of the sheep, the
carelessness of the herders in starting forest fires has resulted in
some destruction to the timber. Fortunately, the permanent settlers on
this section of the reserve are located in the northeastern corner,
which is the least suitable portion of the tract for game. In addition
to the wagon road from Springerville to Nutrioso another road has been
made from Springerville south across the Big Mesa to the head of Black
River. Trails run from Nutrioso and Springerville to the head of Blue
River and down it to the copper mining town of Clifton, but are little
used. At various times scattered settlers have located along the Blue,
and cultivated small garden patches. The firs