2o8 Wild Life in Central Africa. 



as they get most of their food by running it down, I think 

 they are worthy of being classed above vermin, for at least 

 their methods are " sporting." 



JACKAL (Two varieties). 



(i) Side-striped (Cam's adustus}. 

 (2) Black-backed (Cants mesomelas). 



NATIVE NAMES. 



Chinyanja - - Nkandwe. | Chingoni - - - Kandwe. 

 Approximate weight, <? ......... 



Although these animals are fairly plentiful, they are not 

 very often seen unless one is out very early in the morning, 

 or late in the evening when darkness is near. Then a 

 jackal may now and then be disturbed in a patch of grass, 

 or seen leaving such a place where he has spent the day 

 resting and sleeping. They are fond of walking on native 

 paths, and I have shot a few I have met in this way. Their 

 sharp cries will be heard at night, although not so often as 

 in India, where the jackal (of a different variety) is much 

 more plentiful than I have ever seen it in Central Africa. 

 In the cold season their skins are very pretty, as they are 

 more thickly haired at that time than in the rainy months. 

 In South Africa various tribes make nice karosses (fur 

 rugs) with jackal and other skins ; but I have never seen 

 the natives of Central Africa make rugs of any skins, 

 although they make bags and ornaments of wild cat and 

 other small skins. 



Jackals eat locusts when they are about and they 

 doubtless eat lizards, snails, mice, rats, etc. ; in fact 

 anything they can catch and kill that is eatable. They eat 

 berries and fruits, also, and when big game is killed they 

 visit the remains after the lions and hyaenas have left, and 

 they probably follow both these animals to pick up the 

 leavings. I think the black-backed variety is commoner 

 than the side-striped ; the latter being slightly the larger of 

 the two. 



