238 Journal or the Department of Agriculture. — Sept., 1922. 



their young having been poisoned at the same time ; but as the age if 

 the young is not stated, presumably this took place when the pups 

 were fairly large. There is much division of opinion as to the age 

 when the pups start wandering with their mother (or both parents), 

 which is natural perhaps, as circumstances must largely govern the 

 departure, and accurate observation upon the jjoint is difficult to 

 secure ; the majority estimate the age of the pups at this stage as being 

 from two to four months, a few, hoAvever, estimating it at six weeks 

 or even a month. They would appear to remain under parental care 

 until they are from four to six months old (some state as much as 

 nine months), after which they fend for themselves. Up to thi-^ time 

 the immature jackals would seem still to retain their habit of 

 remaining* during daylight in holes and other shelter, emerging at 

 night to make common cause in the hunt for sustenance. 



Hajmi.s of TiiK Ai)UJ/i -Jackai.. 



Wlien the juvenile habit is shaken off, the jackal finds greater 

 security above ground, hiding in daylight in any convenient cover far 

 removed from its enemies, such as bush, long grass, hillsides or top 

 of ridges where it can observe tlie approach of its enemies from afar 

 and slink away unobserved. The animal seems nevertheless to dis- 

 play considerable sagacity; often judging it safer to lie close and 

 allow a man to pass within a short distance without disclosing its 

 presence by taking to flight. It finds security also in solitude, 

 seemingly never taking refuge in one place in communities; but at 

 night it is usual where the animal is plentiful for the scattered indi- 

 viduals to get into touch witli each other by howling, an advantage 

 when food i^ to be shared or combination becomes necessary. It is 

 not usual for the jackal to hunt during daylight, although there are 

 abundant records to show that it does so at times, more especially in 

 cloudy, rainy or wintry weatlier, this being commonly attributed to 

 hunger. 



A questiuu was asked as to whether the time of appearance of 

 jackals has any relation to the distance travelled from the daylight 

 hiding place ; but apparently the majority of writers do not think it 

 has. The time of their appearance (that is to say, the time when 

 they are commonly seen or heard) varies considerably; but it is most 

 commonly stated that they are often seen before sunset, and jnost 

 commonly heard after sunset ; some writers state that they travel some 

 distance before howling. The female is said to visit her young at the 

 holes before setting out on her foraging, after 4 p.m., and again upon 

 her return early in the morning. Tlie distances travelled at night 

 by jackals are frequently very great, some writers stating that they 

 travel all night, others estimating it at as much as thirty and even 

 fifty miles; indeed, in one case a jackal Avas shot which was found to 

 nave grapes in its stomach, and the nearest place where these coidd 

 have been obtained Avas twenty-five miles aAvay as the crow flies, oAer 

 a mountain range. Footpaths and roads are usually followed in pro- 

 ceeding to the foraging grounds ; but success seldom attends efforts 

 to trap them there, as they are too wary and note any unusual 

 disturbance of the_ ground. The usual pace at Avhich they travel is a 

 dog-trot, five or six miles an hour when they have an objective ; but 

 this is inten-upted when the animal is in search of food or suspicious, 



