TERRIBLE HEAT 



on the front as well as on the hind feet, and their coat 

 irregularly spotted with tan or white patches. 



Naturalists recognise six races based on the 

 apparently constant variation of colour in the different 

 localities in which they are found, and those I saw 

 probably belonged to the race known as Lycaon 

 pictus lupinuSy a name proposed by Mr. O. Thomas 

 for the hunting-dogs inhabiting East Africa, whose 

 special characteristics are their dark colouring and 

 the small number of yellow spots. The race in- 

 habiting Somaliland is known as L. pictus somaliais, 

 and is a smaller animal, with shorter coat and less 

 powerful teeth. Packs of hunting-dogs soon clear 

 the game out of any locality, and since they depend 

 on antelope for their food, they do not long remain in 

 one spot. They are generally to be found in the 

 bush and are rarely seen on the open plains. It has 

 been stated that they will readily attack a human 

 being, but I have never heard of any authentic 

 instance. I was sorry I was unable to obtain a speci- 

 men, but I saw that it was useless to pursue them 

 further, and so returned to the trail and continued 

 the march. 



The sun was now blazing down from a cloudless 

 sky, everything was burning to the touch, and the 

 glare exceedingly trying to the eyes. At noon I 

 called a halt, and lay down beneath a thorn bush, 

 over which I spread my saddle blankets to keep off 

 the sun which was pouring through the leafless 

 branches, and soon, in spite of countless small ants, I 

 went fast to sleep. When I awoke an hour later 

 the cook had ready the wing of a guinea-fowl, which 

 I had shot that morning near Gulola Swamp. After 

 an excellent meal I gave the order to load up, and 



i68 



