242 Journal of the Department of Agricitlture. — Sept., l92'2. 



floods of rain. Altogether the jackal lias exacted a heavy toll from 

 the country. 



The Hardy Jackal axo the Remedy Question. 



All writers express the same opinion that to-day man and his dog 

 are the only natural enemies that the jackal has to fear. Disease 

 (except mange in old individuals) is stated to be unknown amongst 

 jackals by all writers, with the exception of Mr. F. Bowker, Thorn- 

 kloof, Albany District, who gives an instance of his dogs having con- 

 tracted a disease, after tackling a sick jackal, from which they died. 

 Two of his brother's dogs, moreover, contracted the disease from the 

 sick dogs and also died. 



Opinions are divided as to the prevalence of parasites on jackals, 

 but ticks, fleas, and lice are mentioned as having been found on them 

 in many cases. 



Further Information Needed. 



Much still remains to be recorded of the methods employed by 

 individuals and communities to destroy- the jackal, so that it is found 

 necessary again to appeal to men of experience for information there- 

 upon. To publish at this stage of the investigation the little data 

 that have come to hand in this connection does not seem advisable 

 until all the available information can be collated. It may be stated 

 that at present there appears to be a considerable divergence of 

 opinion as to the efficacy of the different methods employed ; and when 

 it is considered that varying conditions of environment, climate and 

 settlement, characterize the huge area concerned, it is hardly a matter 

 of surprise that methods found entirely satisfactory in one district 

 fail altogether in another. Information on tliis point is of primary 

 importance. Farmers are accordingly earnestly invited to give the 

 Biological Society the value of their experience by corresponding with 

 it on the lines set out hereunder. They are reminded that the greater 

 the amount of detail contained in their accounts, the more likely are 

 they to assist themselves and their confreres ; also that strict adherence 

 to the questions is not desired so much as important facts that can 

 be made use of and that may perhaps not appear in this list. In 

 replying, however, tabulation will be facilitated by retaining as far 

 as possible the same order as the questions. 



(1) Hiiniiiif). 



Full details would be of great utility as to the methods found 

 most advantageous in each district in conducting hunts, such as the 

 nature of the veld, the number of men required and available on foot 

 or on horseback, number of fire-arms required or commonly used, posi- 

 tions taken up by the men, number, breed, and training of the dogs, 

 and how they are controlled; whether drives are conducted in a line 

 towards " voor leers," or a large area surrounded; whether some 

 seasons are found more suitable than others for conducting hunts, 

 and the reasons why; whether a practice is made of examining all 

 holes that may be discovered in the course of the drives for traces of 

 spoor into them, and whether these are dealt with at once or not when 



