146 



black bear (Ursus torquatus). Another case in which wild dogs 

 are asserted to have killed a tiger is mentioned by Mr. Stern- 

 dale in ' Seonee ' and in his ' Natural History of Indian Mam- 

 malia.' In other instances the wild dogs are said to have dis- 

 puted with a tiger or a leopard the possession of prey that had 

 been killed by the latter. It is not improbable that such dis- 

 putes occur, that they result in the death of some of. the wild 

 dogs, and that the remains of the bullock or sambar over which 

 the contest has occurred are taken by credulous men for tiger's 

 bones. 



Another story about the wild dog, also universally believed in 

 India, and quoted by Hodgson and others as if perfectly authentic, 

 is that the urine of these animals is excessively acrid, that they 

 sprinkle with it the bushes through which they drive their prey, 

 and then rush upon the latter when blinded by the pungent fluid. 

 Another version is that they jerk the urine into their victim's eyes 

 with their tails. This is sometimes said to be their method of 

 killing tigers, and in Burmah they are even supposed to destroy 

 elephants by this stratagem. It is scarcely necessary to say that, 

 except Hodgson, none of the naturalists (such as Jerdon, McMaster, 

 and Sterndale) who mention this extraordinary story express any 

 belief in it. A somewhat similar story (I suspect a myth) is told 

 about wolves in Europe, and related by so good an observer as Blasius 

 (' Saugethiere Deutschlands,' p. 182), to the effect that when large 

 animals such as cattle or horses offer much resistance to wolves 

 the latter dip their tails or the whole of their bodies in water, and 

 either shake themselves before the animal they are attacking, or 

 whisk their tails into his eyes and then rush on him in a body 

 whilst his eyes are closed. 



Although many large animals are killed by wild dogs, no instance 

 appears to be known of their attacking man. 



Wild dogs are said to be absolutely untamable, and, although 

 this is perhaps an exaggeration, they are certainly very diffi- 

 cult to tame. In one instance mentioned by Hodgson there 

 was a certain amount of domestication of a young indivi- 

 dual, as it would play with dogs, and allow itself to be caressed 

 by its owner, but others remained for years as fierce and 

 shy as when caught, and this is the experience of all other 

 writers. 



The breeding-period is in the winter. The time of gestation is 

 not accurately known, but is probably about two months ; the 

 young are produced in holes or caves among rocks from January 

 to March, and there are sometimes six or more in a litter ; but, 

 according to Hodgson's observations, usually two to four. A 

 breeding-place was discovered by Mr. Wilson near Simla*, where 

 several females apparently bred together. 



