lOO NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



the wild hounds have in this case actually run down 

 their prey. A more probable agent appears in the 

 mounted sportsman seen hunting zebras in the 

 adjacent plain : a wounded beast has already accord- 

 ing to custom turned out of the herd. Such a vividly 

 realistic picture is worth hundreds of mere home- 

 made book-illustrations. 



Even to man the hunting-dog pays but scant 

 respect. It is the habit of these animals to bask in 

 the sun in the remoter scrub jungles, or to lie among 

 the long grass on hill sides. A man stumbling un- 

 awares upon such a grim company gladly retreats as 

 the bush suddenly swarms with savage brindled 

 heads. Those which Gordon Gumming dispersed 

 on a celebrated occasion retreated but slowly, 

 "barking like collies." 'T very frequently disturbed 

 them feasting upon the quarry which had rewarded 

 their industry," says Harris, "on such occasions they 

 were wont to retire sulking to a little distance and 

 squatting on their hams, to utter a petulant growl, 

 which ended in a suppressed bark." Sometimes, 

 doubtless, they do not retreat at all ; they have even 

 treed unarmed men. Thus Mahle, one of Delegor- 

 gue's Kaffir gunners, thoughtlessly wounded a wild 

 dog and had to run for it; the wounded animal was 

 backed up by five or six sympathisers, and the 

 Kaffir had barely time to climb a tree. Two lay close 

 at hand, and others kept wandering about at some 

 distance; the dogs kept him pinned there for two 



