1 86 HABITS AND INSTINCTS OF ANIMALS. CHAP. VI. 



our island from these detestable creatures. The dog, 

 the friend of man in domestication, is his enemy in a 

 wild state. Some of these varieties or species ap- 

 proach so near to the wolf, both in appearance and 

 manners, that their distinction is by no means clearly 

 defined. Pennant probably alludes to one of these 

 races, when he says that the wolf dogs of North Ame- 

 rica, although they will not, on ordinary occasions, 

 attack men, yet that, when pressed by hunger, they 

 assemble in immense packs, hunting, attacking, and 

 destroying whatever they meet, and carrying devasta- 

 tion and terror to the neighbouring villages. It is 

 universally remarked, that, when once a carnivorous 

 animal is acquainted with the taste of human blood, 

 it shows a decided preference for that food. Civilis- 

 ation, and the effects of the chase, have probably done 

 much to preserve Europe from carnivorous animals, 

 for the temperature of the air is not the cause. Bishop 

 Heber remarks, that the tiger, lion, and hyaena, all 

 thrive in the high latitudes of the Himalaya mountains, 

 where the climate is as mild as that of Europe. The 

 jackals and the hyaenas of Africa are as much to be 

 dreaded, during night, as any of those we have de- 

 scribed : the former hunt in packs, like the wolves and 

 wild dogs, and prefer living victims ; but the hyaena is 

 well known for its decided preference to dead bodies, 

 a disgusting, but not an injurious, propensity to the 

 living. 



(202.) We may here terminate our enumeration of 

 such carnivorous animals as seek for man, to accomplish 

 his death ; but there are a few others which effect the 

 same mortal injury, without the same motive. The 

 whole race of bisons, buffaloes, and wild oxen more par- 

 ticularly at some seasons of the year are not only fierce, 

 but cruel enemies to man ; attacking him without pro- 

 vocation, and never leaving the body until its mangled 

 remains are crushed to a hideous mass. Such is the 

 Cape buffalo (Bos Caffer), called by Pennant the musk 

 ox. It is a ferocious and terrible beast, of amazing 



