1 86 THE FOX 



the sportsman in question. The peculiar cry must 

 have some meaning, and it must either be a warning 

 or a call to the pack, or partly one and partly the 

 other. On the other hand, it may be a signal to the 

 tiger by his appointed companion, the solitary jackal, 

 though I do not think this is so. It is easy to 

 imagine a communication by an animal to one of its 

 own kind : it is not so clear that different animals can 

 convey their meanings to each other by means of 

 sound. It is possible, however, that their actions 

 may, and do, serve as a warning or a hint. Thus we 

 can imagine a vulture wheeling in the clear sky, and 

 seeing a hunting jackal, taking a sweep in the direc- 

 tion the beast was going, and thus being led to a 

 carcase. On the other hand, the sight of vultures 

 gathering would certainly tell its tale to the jackal, 

 supposing his keen nose had not first warned him of 

 the prey. 



I once had an interesting glimpse of the different 

 grades of jungle society. I was looking for small 

 game when I came upon the carcase of a heifer killed 

 probably by a leopard. These animals were fairly 

 numerous in the neighbourhood. However, the 

 leopard had gone away with the daylight. On the 

 carcase, growling and tearing, were two hyenas. At a 

 little distance was a ring of large vultures. Behind 



