142 



lion, or " lion's provider," and is repaid by a share of the prey, is 

 commonly believed with regard to the tiger in India ; and it is this 

 peculiar jackal, known as Phedl, or Phiou, or Phnew (see Torrens, 

 3. A. 8. E. xviii, p. 788) in Northern India, the name being taken 

 from the cry, and as Bhdlu or Kol bhdlu in Southern and "Western 

 India, that is said to invariably precede the tiger and to make the 

 call just noticed. Several observers have, however, remarked that 

 the jackal which makes the cry follows the tiger and does not 

 precede him ; and Mr. Blyth has observed that a pariah dog, on 

 sniffing a collection of caged tigers in Calcutta, set up a most 

 extraordinary howl, probably similar to that of the Phedl. Jerdon 

 gives an excellent abstract of the opinions expressed by various 

 writers, and concludes, as others have done, that the cry is an 

 alarm-note. This appears probable ; tigers, if they have an oppor- 

 tunity and are hungry, may kill and eat jackals, and leopards cer- 

 tainly do so. 



Another belief, which appears widely diffused in India and 

 Ceylon, is that a horn grows on the head of some jackals, and is of 

 great virtue to its possessor. 



The jackal is occasionally hunted by hounds, and gives a good 

 run, but is quickly caught by greyhounds, who, however, cannot 

 always dispose of him easily. He is, Jerdon says, very tenacious 

 of life, and shams dead in a way to deceive even experienced 

 sportsmen. 



The period of gestation in the jackal is usually said to be sixty- 

 three days, the same as in the wolf and dog ; but, as might be ex- 

 pected, there is some variation, and there appears good reason for 

 believing that the time in the jackal is a few days less * on an 

 average. The number of young in a litter is about four; the 

 female brings forth in holes in the ground, occasionally (as Jerdon 

 remarks) in dry drains. That some breeds of domestic dogs, per- 

 haps all the smaller races, are derived from jackals appears to be 

 the opinion of most competent naturalists. The two breed together 

 freely, and it is probable that some of the jackal-like dogs seen 

 about Indian villages may be hybrids. 



Jackals are liable to attacks of rabies, and mad animals are not 

 uncommon, many cases of hydrophobia having resulted from 

 their bites both in men and animals. 



Genus CYON, Hodgson (1838). 

 Syn. Cuon, Hodgson ; Chrysceus, Ham. Smith. 



There are only two true molars on each side of the lower jaw, 

 instead of three, as in Canis, the dentition being : i. |, c. -^ 



* The subject is fully discussed by Darwin ('Animals and Plants under 

 Domestication,' i, p. 29). The question of tbe origin of domestic dogs is there 

 treated at length. 



