THE CARNIVORA 379 



long and pointed, the ears are upright and pointed, and the 

 eyes set obliquely, giving a very sinister expression to the face. 

 The bushy tail is not curled like a dog's, but held down almost 

 between the legs. The Wolf never barks that is entirely a civilised 

 habit but the animal gives vent to the most horrible and ghastly 

 howls. Indeed, the howling of Wolves borne on the wings of the 

 wind over the lonely snow-clad wastes is a sound which once heard 

 can never be forgotten. 



Next to the wolf the Jackal (C. aureus) is the most important 

 wild member of the Dog tribe. It is a much smaller animal than 

 the wolf, not exceeding thirty inches in length, and seventeen in 

 height at the shoulder, and has a longer and more pointed muzzle ; 

 its fur is of a dusky-yellowish colour. It is a cowardly animal, 

 blessed with a most evil smell and with a voracious appetite, 

 and lives largely on carrion. It haunts the outskirts of towns and 

 villages, where it acts as a natural scavenger, devouring offal and 

 garbage, but always ready to carry off poultry, lambs, or kids, 

 should the opportunity arise. The African Black-Backed Jackal 

 (C. mesomelas) is an inhabitant of South Africa, and is easily dis- 

 tinguished from other species by the black-and-white mott lings on 

 its back. 



The Lycaon, or Cape Hunting Dog (Lycaon pictus), has gained 

 its popular name from its habit of hunting in packs. It bears a 

 singular resemblance to the hyena, and was in fact first described 

 as the Hyena-Dog. 



Of the /Eluroidea, or cat-like Carnivores, the Hyenas and 

 the Aard-Wolf most closely approach the dog-like group. The 

 Aard-Wolf (Proteles cristatus), inhabits the southern part of Africa, 

 where its range is almost co-extensive with that of the brown 

 variety of the hyena. It has the sloping back of the hyena, 

 owing to its forelegs being longer than the hind legs ; but its 

 head is quite civet-like, the snout being long and pointed. It is 

 nocturnal in its habits, and constructs a subterranean burrow, 

 at the bottom of which it lies concealed during the daytime, 

 coming forth at night in search of prey, which consists chiefly 

 of white ants or termites, though it takes toll of the young lambs 

 and kids, killing them apparently chiefly for the sake of the curdled 

 milk in their stomachs. 



To the Civet family belong the Civets, or Civet Cats (Viverrida) 



