Life-History of the Jackal. 



236 



problem concerns large sections of the farming community and it is 

 only by their combined efforts that any definite results are likely 

 to be obtained. The jackal has long experienced the methods of 

 European settlers and tlius being Avell adapted to elude them, indivi- 

 dual, and indeed even small communal, action is not likely to attain 

 the desired end. Hence the necessity for consolidating all the avail- 

 able information in order to concentrate upon the eradication of 

 this serious pest. 



The Most Hakmful Jackal. 



The species included by various writers under the name of jackals 

 arc: The black-backed jackal (77?ox )iie.<<(>ineh(s), silver fox (VvJpes 



Thk Black-backed Jackal. 



cJiama), long-eared fox {Otocyon megalotis), and aardwolf or maan- 

 haar {Proteles cristatus). All are agreed that the first-named is the 

 principal cause of the trouble, though the maanhaar is also said to 

 do a little harm, and is generally not considered a menace owing to 

 its scarcity; the silver fox and long-eared fox apparently do little 

 or no harm.* It may be mentioned, however, that some have written 

 about the silver jackal as doing damage, but it would seem from the 

 accounts given that the reference is to the black-backed jackal, to 

 which the following vernacular names are applied by different 

 writers : Red, blackback, silverback, saddleback, silver or silver-tail 

 jackal; rooi, groot rooi, witrug, bontrug, zwartrug, blauwrug or 

 lammervanger jakhals, vos or vossie ; of these the commonest name 



''' Should tins prove otherwise, coirection should be made. 



