36 THE INDIAN JACKAL. 



manage to subdue, and though they may be met with singly or in pairs 

 they sometimes hunt in troops, especially at night, when they may 

 make a great howling. Sickly sheep and goats readily fall a prey to 

 them, as well as any antelopes which have been lamed or wounded. 

 In default of animal food, they will readily eat fruit or sugar-canes, of 

 which they are said to be fond, as well as of the ber fruit (Zizypkus 

 jujuba) and ripe coffee-berries. According to Dr. Jerdon, the Jackal 

 is easily pulled down by greyhounds, but gives an excellent run with 

 foxhounds. He adds that they are very tenacious of life, and " sham 

 dead " so well as to deceive even experienced sportsmen. On one 

 occasion a Jackal came to the aid of another individual possibly its 

 mate which had been seized by greyhounds, attacking them furiously 

 although Dr. Jerdon was close by on horseback. 



The cry of the Jackal is described by Mr. Blanford as consisting of 

 two parts " a long wailing howl three or four times repeated, each 

 repetition in a note a little higher than the preceding, and then a 

 succession of usually three quick yelps, also repeated two or three times. 

 The common Anglo-Indian version of ' Dead Hindoo ; where, where, 

 where' gives some idea of the call." 



Besides its ordinary cry, it will utter another, very distinguishable 

 one when it finds itself in the vicinity of a tiger or leopard. It is 

 doubtless a cry of terror and warning, as the leopard preys on jackals, 

 and there can be little doubt but that a hungry tiger would make 

 short work of one. It appears to have been this habit which has given 

 rise to the fable of the Jackal being the " lion's provider," and which is 

 current in India *. 



The Jackal breeds in burrows much as does a fox, and produces 

 about four at a birth. It breeds freely with the domestic dog. 



The Indian Jackal varies much in size and somewhat in coloration, 

 and it is a nice question whether the Common Jackal of North Africa 

 should or should not be regarded as of the same species. If they are 

 united, then the European Jackal must also belong to that one species. 



* See H. Torrens on " Native Impressions regarding the Natural History of certain 

 Animals " (Journal of the Asiatic Soc. of Bengal, vol. xviii. part ii. p. 788). 



