DWELLINGS 1611 



For instance, the right anterior leg sets to work 

 digging, while the posterior leg on the same side 

 throws out the earth. When fatigued, the left legs 

 come into play, allowing the others to repose. 



Other animals, without building their cavern with 

 remarkable skill, show much sagacity in the choice 

 of a site calculated to obtain certain determined ad- 

 vantages. In Egypt there are dogs which have be- 

 come wild. Having shaken off the yoke of man, 

 which in the East affords them little or no support, 

 they lead an independent life. During the day they 

 remain quiescent in desert spots or ruins, and at night 

 they prowl about like jackals, hunting living prey or 

 feeding on abandoned carcasses. There are hills 

 which have in a manner become the property of 

 these animals. They have founded villages there, 

 and allow no one to approach. These hills have an 

 orientation from north to south, so that one slope is 

 exposed to the sun from morning to midday and the 

 other from midday to evening. Now, dogs have a 

 great horror of heat. They fear the torrid heat of 

 the south as much as in our climate they like to lie 

 warmed by gentle rays ; there is no shadow too deep 

 for their siesta. Therefore, on these Egyptian hills 

 every dog hollows out a lair on both slopes. In the 

 morning, when he returns from his nocturnal ex- 

 peditions, the animal takes refuge in the second, and 

 remains there until midday, sunk in refreshing sleep. 

 At that hour the sun begins to reach him, and to es- 

 cape it he passes over to the opposite slope; it is a 

 curious sight to see them all, with pendent heads and 

 sleepy air, advance with trailing steps to their eastern 



