SADDLE-BACKED JACKAL 41 



Family CANID/E. 



The members of the dog family are easily characterized 

 by their digitigrade feet (bearing four toes on the fore, 

 and either four or five on the hind feet, which are not 

 retractile), well-developed legs and lengthened muzzle. 

 There are four pre-molar teeth on each side above and 

 below, and from two to four molars (usually two above 

 and three below). They have more teeth than the 

 Felidae, the number ranging from 42 to 48. 



Genus CANIS. 



Four toes on the front and five on the hind feet. Tail 

 less than half the leno^th of the animal. Punil round. 

 Dentition (on each side) : Incisors three above and three 

 below, canines one and one, premolars four and four, 

 molars two and three = 42 teeth, which are all strongly 

 developed. 



Only two species of this genus are found in South 

 Africa — the Jackals — which are fox-like animals of mostly 

 nocturnal habits, lying hidden during the day-time in a 

 hole or lair under a thick bush. Jackals are fond of 

 decaying flesh, but when this is not available w^ill kill and 

 devour poultry, lambs, game birds and small mammals. 



The Black-backed Jackal is common all over South 

 Africa, whereas the side-striped species is scarce, and 

 its habits little known. Trouessart, in his " Catalogus 

 Mammalium," includes these Jackals under a separate 

 genus, which he calls " TAos." 



Canis mesomelas. Saddle-backed Jackal. Booi Jahhals. 



(Also called the Black-backed Jackal, Silver Jackal, and 

 Golden Jackal by the colonists.) 



This animal has the back of a mottled greyish black 

 colour, the sides of the body of a reddish hue, the two 



