CHAPTER X. 



THE JACKALS AND FOXES. 



THE JACKAL — THE LANDJAK — THE COMMON FOX — THE RACOON DOG — THE CORSAC — THE CAAMA 

 — THE FENNEC — THE AMERICAN FOXES — THE RED FOX — THE SILVER OR BLACK FOX — THE 

 CROSS FOX — THE KID FOX — THE GRAY FOX — THE ARCTIC FOX — THE BLUE FOX — THE LARGE- 

 EARED FOX — THE HUNTING DOG. 



BETWEEN the Wolves which we have just described, and the 

 Foxes which we shall soon treat of, stands the Jackal ; it differs 

 to such an extent from both, that Gray has placed it in a sepa- 

 rate genus, Dieba, so called from its Arabic name, Dieb " the howler." 



THE JACKAL. 



The Jackal, Canis aureus (Plate XVII), is known everywhere in Asia, 

 where it is regarded very much as the fox in our fairy tales, and is found 

 also in Greece and Dalmatia. It is rather larger than the fox, and its 

 coat is of a grayish-yellow color, the tail being tipped with black. 



The jackals resemble the fox more nearly than they do the wolf. They 

 conceal themselves by day, but roam at night, usually in large packs. To 

 keep together they are constantly howling, and their voice is sad, loud, 

 and unmusical. Their voracity and audacity are unparalleled. They 

 enter habitations, when opportunity presents itself, and sweep off every- 

 thing eatable they can reach ; devouring even boots, horse-harness, and 

 other articles made of leather. In the desert they follow the caravans, 

 prowl all night around the encampment, and endeavor to carry off any- 

 thing chance may throw in their way. Like the hyasnas, they disinter 

 the dead, and the natives of the districts in which they are found are 

 obliged to protect the graves from their outrages by covering them with 

 heavy stones and prickly bushes. 



The jackals hunt the antelope, gazelle, and other small animals, and 

 m large packs will attack oxen and horses. They fear man, and the 



