ng the surface. With cheeks pallid, or blood spotted,
and eyes closed or glassy, the attitude could not fail to cause
surprise. And yet more to note, that there is neither pallor, nor stain
on the cheeks; and the eyes are neither shut, nor glassed. On the
contrary, they are glancing--glaring--rolling. _By Heavens the head is
alive_!

No wonder the wolves start back in affright; no wonder the vultures,
after stooping low, ply their wings in quick nervous stroke, and soar up
again! The odd thing seems to puzzle both beasts and birds; baffles
their instinct, and keeps them at bay.

Still know they, or seem to believe, 'tis flesh and blood. Sight and
scent tell them so. By both they cannot be deceived.

And living flesh it must be? A Death's head could neither flash its
eyes, nor cause them to revolve in their sockets. Besides, the
predatory creatures have other evidence of its being alive. At
intervals they see opened a mouth, disclosing two rows of white teeth;
from which come cries that, startling, send them afar.

These are only put forth, when they approach too threateningly near--
evidently intended to drive them to a distance. They have done so for
the greater part of a day.

Strange spectacle! The head of a man, without any body; with eyes in it
that scintillate and see; a mouth that opens, and shows teeth; a throat
from which issue sounds of human intonation; around this object of weird
supernatural aspect, a group of wolves, and over it a flock of vultures!

Twilight approaching, spreads a purple tint over the prairie. But it
brings no change in the attitude of assailed, or assailants. There is
still light enough for the latter to perceive the flash of those fiery
eyes, whose glances of menace master their voracious instincts, warning
them back.

On a Texan prairie twilight is short. There are no mountains, or high
hills intervening, no obliquity in the sun's diurnal course, to lengthen
out the day. When the golden orb sinks below the horizon, a brief
crepusculous light succeeds; then darkness, sudden as though a curtain
of crape were dropped over the earth.

Night descending causes some change in the tableau described. The
buzzards, obedient to their customary habit--not nocturnal--take
departure from the spot, and wing their way to their usual roosting
place. Different do the coyotes. These stay. Night is the time best
suited to their ravening instincts. The darkness may give them a