314 LARGE GAME. chap. vi. 



It was evident, from their superior size and well- 

 developed frames, that the leading hounds (it is difficult 

 to speak of them as " dogs ") were the pick of the pack, 

 the next being small and lighter, and probably ladies, 

 while those behind were undoubtedly young hounds and 

 three-parts-grown puppies — all but one, which seemed to 

 act as whipper-in, and rivalled the best of them in its 

 proportions. There was not even a whimper now ; not a 

 sound but the dull patter of many feet as they swept 

 along ; but they had scarcely passed the spot where I was 

 concealed before they ran into the antelope, which, good 

 use as it can generally make of its horns against dogs, 

 had now no opportunity to do mischief, being pulled 

 down in a few seconds. 



Those accustomed to see hounds break up their fox 

 can form some idea of the scene which now ensued : of 

 famished hunger satisfying itself before life had left the 

 animal's body ; of quarrelling and of lighting. It is suffi- 

 cient to say that I was glad to crawl round to the other side 

 of the ant-heap, and to remain quiet while it was taking 

 place, and that I was not sorry to see the pack, having in 

 ten minutes reduced their prey to a skeleton, take itself 

 off in a contrary direction. 



Two species of wild-dog are mentioned by some authors, 

 but I have only met with one, of which Burton 1 gives the 

 following account : — 



" The Waraba or Durwa is, according to Mr. Blyth, the dis- 

 tinguished naturalist, now curator of the Asiatic Society's Museum 

 at Calcutta, the Canis pictus seu venaticus (Lycaon pictus, or 

 Wilde Honde of the Cape Boers). It seems to be the Chien 

 sauvage or Cynhyene (Cynhyrena venatica) of the French tra- 

 1 First Footsteps in East Africa, Burton, p. 83. 



