io8 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



on the war-path. The disturbance which their presence 

 causes being so intense, the area quickly ceases to supply 

 them with food, and they are consequently obliged to 

 move on elsewhere ; the frightened game, when assured 

 of their departure, closing in once more behind them. 

 It follows, therefore, that the range of each pack must 

 be a wide one, and the life of every individual composing 

 it so necessarily strenuous that none but the very fittest 

 can survive. Nature thus provides that the increase 

 of these destructive creatures shall not be unduly large, 

 and, from this and other reasons to be mentioned pre- 

 sently, the numbers present over any given area of country 

 are generally less than those of some of the other species 

 of greater carnivora. From the fact that they are seen 

 associated in large troops, and may appear in two widely 

 separated localities within a surprisingly short space of 

 time, they are often believed, however, to be far more 

 numerous than is actually the case. 



In order to arrive at some estimate of the movements 

 and total of the Hunting Dogs in the Reserve, notes, 

 extending over some years, have been made by rangers 

 whenever a pack has appeared in their several districts. 

 A comparison of these shows that within the area between 

 the Sabi and Crocodile Rivers on the north and south, 

 and the Drakensberg Mountains and the Lebombo Hills 

 on the west and east, Hunting Dogs have never been 

 reported present in more than one ranger's district at 

 the same time. Successive reports indicate that they 

 have reappeared after fairly regular intervals in each 

 district, remained for some days, or weeks within it, 

 and then have been temporarily lost sight of, to be 

 shortly reported from the neighbouring area. 



At Sabi Bridge, some nine years' observation of their 

 habits has shown that they nearly always have approached 



