JACKALS 97 



great audacity, and I have often known one lightly 

 caught drag away the bait after releasing himself. Some- 

 times, too, they will step over the carcass of a leopard 

 already killed by a spring-gun set over his " kill " in 

 order to get at the latter. So powerful are the hyaena's 

 jaws that the tongue of an iron trap is often bitten out, or 

 so badly twisted as to render the implement unserviceable 

 for the future. 



Although hyaenas must be considered noxious vermin 

 on account of the damage they inflict upon stock, game, 

 and occasionally human beings, it cannot be denied 

 that they fulfil very useful purposes as scavengers ; they 

 will eat any kind of offal, and share with the vultures 

 the credit of keeping the bush free from many distressing 

 odours. 



If caught young these animals become very tame. 

 We kept one at Sabi Bridge which knew its name per- 

 fectly well, and displayed considerable docility and 

 affection. In fact, when I visited it at the Pretoria 

 Zoological Gardens some weeks after its arrival there, it 

 recognized me at once, and executed a series of clumsy 

 gambols round its cage on hearing itself called by name. 



CHAPTER X 

 JACKALS AND FOXES 



THE next group of carnivorous animals includes the dogs, 

 wolves, jackals, and foxes. The members of it possess 

 elongated muzzles, a large number of cheek teeth, limbs 

 built for speed, and non-retractile claws. All are gifted 

 with high intelligence, of which the capacity for com- 

 bination shown by some species is one of the most obvious 

 outward signs. 



BOOK I ~.< ' G 



c^-t cc 6t ^ v 6 



(A. 

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