72 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL INDIA. 



I have several times come across and shot the 

 hunting leopard when after antelope ; but they cannot 

 be called common in this part of India. They live 

 mostly in the low, isolated rocky eminences called 

 Torias, that rise here and there like islets in the middle 

 of the plains, and on the central plateau, and which are 

 frequently surrounded by grassy plains where they hunt 

 their prey. They are of a retiring and inoffensive 

 disposition, never coming near dwellings, or attacking 

 domesticated animals, like the leopard and panther ; 

 and I never heard of their showing any sport when 

 pursued. Their manner of catching the antelope, by a 

 union of cat-like stealth of approach and unparalleled 

 velocity of attack, has often been described. A few are 

 kept tame by the wealthier natives, but more, I think, 

 for show than real use in hunting. 



The common jackal, always ready for food of any 

 description, seldom fails to make a meal of any wounded 

 animal, and I have seen a small gang of them pursue a 

 wounded antelope I had just fired at. The fawns of the 

 antelope and gazelle frecjuently become their victims. 



The wolf is extremely common in the northern parts 

 of the province ; frequenting the same sort of ground as 

 the antelope and chikdra. I have very seldom met with 

 them in forest tracts ; and I think that in India they 

 are clearly a plain-loving species. They unite in parties 

 of five or six to hunt ; the latter being the largest 

 number I have ever seen together. More generally 

 they are found singly or in couples. I have several 

 times observed them in the act of hunting the antelope ; 

 their method being to steal in on all sides of a detached 

 party of does and fawns, and trust to a united rush to 

 capture one or more of them before they attain their 



