HUNTING nOG {l.YC/EON PICTUS). 141 



HUNTING DOG (Lycseon pictus). 



Native Names. 



Chinyanja . . Mbulu or Mmbulu.* Chikunda Mbinzi. 



Chiyao .... Lisogo. Zulu (Ngoni) Ndacha. 



Food. 



Carnivorous, eating game that it has killed itself. 



Spoor. 

 Not so large as that of hyaena, with longer toe-marks in proportion. If there is 

 any doubt, the number of spoor-marks will be a guide, as this animal goes in packs. 



Habitat. 

 A pack will appear in a district and hunt for a time, moving off to another place 

 as soon as the game gets scared. 



Habits. 



Very seldom seen, but if met with are exceedingly bold. Instead of stampeding 

 as do most wild animals at the sight of man, they move off slowly, constantly 

 stopping to look round and grunting. 



A pack will soon clear a neighbourhood of game. 



If animals suddenly desert a place where there is usually a quantity of game, 

 the reason will probably be that a pack of dogs have arrived in the neighbourhood. 



If vultures should then be noticed hovering round, their kill may be located. 



They hunt hartebeest, waterbuck, puku, impala, reedbuck, and the smaller game 

 also female or young of kudu, but seldom attack game such as buffalo, eland, or zebra. 



Notes. 



• The second " m " occurs in the plural mimbulu. 



