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Studied the seasonal foods of coyotes, Canis latrans, at the Biosphere Reserve of Mapimi in the Southern Chihuahuan Desert, Mexico, by analysis of 508 faeces (scats) collected between March 1985 and November 1986. Lagomorphs were the most frequent food, occurring in 49 % of the samples, followed by fruits (33 %) and rodents (32 %). There were important seasonal and interannual changes in food habits. As a rule, lagomorphs were the most frequent item in autumn and winter, but fruits (mainly Opuntia sp.) predominated in summer and rodents (mainly Neotoma albigula) in spring. Birds and reptiles were consumed to a low proportion and ungulates were eaten only when carcasses were available. Our data suggest that the coyoe in this area behaves as a selective predator of rabbits, occasionally using abundant alternative foods in an opportunistic way.