Natural Environment Reference

In his Navajo detective novels, Tony Hillerman refers to both the regular dog-like wild animal found throughout the contiguous American continents and to Coyote, the trickster figure in Navajo cosmologies, for which the animal and its anthropomorphized character is the inspiration.

In Navajo mythology, Coyote (or First Coyote) is a trickster or troublemaker. He is often referred to as First Angry or First Scolder and is said to have brought witchcraft into the world. He appears in many stories both as a trickster who cannot be trusted and as a sexual being who tricks others in order to get his way. He is a main character of the Navajo creation story.

Mostly found in wooded areas throughout the United States, Cooper's hawks are mid-sized predatory birds. They eat other smaller birds and have been known to forage for food in suburban areas at backyard bird feeders. Male Cooper's hawks are smaller than, and submissive to, the females.

Tony Hillerman's references to "cedar" probably refer to one of the many Juniperus species found throughout the Southwestern United States. Hillerman's cedar references could point to Utah Juniper (Junipers utahensis), Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum), Alligator Juniper (Juniperus deppeana), or Oneseed Juniper (Juniperus monosperma), all of which can be found in or near the Four Corners region.

The effect or practice of concealment. Camouflage can consist of actual artifice, for example wearing a mask or a costume or of covering one object with another. Camouflage also occurs naturally, enabling animals, including humans, and plants to blend into their surroundings, either to facilitate hunting or hiding, depending upon which end of the food chain it is.

A layer of cells responsible for the secondary growth of perennial plants. Each year the vascular cambium causes plants to grow an inner layer of cells called xylem and an outer layer of cells called phloem. The cambium can also form in the callous tissues, which allow plants to recover after their outer surface is scarred or sliced.

Most likely a reference to peyote, a small, spineless cactus that contains, among other compounds, mescaline, a psychoactive alkaloid that can alter one's perception and induce hallucinations. Peyote has been significant in many Native American medicinal and spiritual practices. It is still taken as a ritual sacrament by followers of the Native American Church ceremonies.

Although it can be found and harvested as far north as the Chihuahuan desert, in southern Texas and northern Mexico, it is unlikely that individuals would be able to find peyote as far north and west as the Zuni reservation in New Mexico and Arizona.

The burrowing owl is a small owl that generally occupies small holes left in the soil by other animals, hence the name “burrowing." The habitat for this owl extends through the western portion of the U.S., all the way down into South America. Their diet consists of small rodents and insects.

A plant common to the U.S. Southwest, cactus grows in habitats that regularly experience drought. Most cacti are considered succulents, meaning that they store water above ground in their flesh, water they scavenge from their harsh climate with their extensive, wide-spreading root systems. As a result, many cacti grow spines, which are modified leaves, which can prick to the touch. These spines protect the plant against herbivorous predators on the hunt for water during the brutal dry spells that help to characterize their desert environs.

Buffalo grass (Bouteloua dactyloides) is a prairie grass found in the western regions of North America. It has curling leaves and grows in thick patches. Buffalo grass is a short grass that is cold, heat, and drought resistant. Historically, buffalo grass was used to make sod houses during the westward expansion.

A vernacular reference to the North American bison, large herds of which once roamed the North American plains in seemingly endless waves. The bison was an integral component of North American indigenous lifeways throughout the interwest regions. In addition to being a major source of direct subsistence, it also served indigenous communities indirectly in terms of a supporting a thriving economy of exchange founded on bison by-products. The bison was one of the most revered animals in the spiritual belief systems of Native American peoples, and its cultural and material significance cannot be over-emphasized.

Before Anglo-European settlement and the transcontinental railroad, there were approximately thirty million bison roaming the Great Plains. By the mid-19th century, the bison population was depleted to about 100,000 animals because of non-Native profit-driven mass hunting. To those tribes that saw the bison as integral and sacred, this mass hunting was a desecration. Recently, efforts to bring back the numbers of the endangered species have increased the overall bison population to about 250,000.