THE BLACK-BACKED JACKAL 



the country, which in course of time must inevitably 

 end in the extermination of the jackal. However, 

 owing to the nature of some portions of the country, 

 the time will be far distant before that desirable 

 end can be attained. 



The weapons of the colonist, in the shape of fire- 

 arms, dogs, traps, and poison, are opposed by the 

 jackal with a brain developed to a high pitch of 

 cunning, the acutest of hearing, sight, powers of 

 scent and taste. With these faculties, combined 

 with the cover which the dense, matted, thorny 

 scrub affords him, the jackal has so far not only 

 been able to hold his own in the battle in many 

 districts, but has actually considerably increased 

 in numbers. 



To trap a jackal, extra special precautions must 

 be taken, and even so it is doubtful if the animal* 

 will be captured, so suspicious has it become. When 

 a jackal sallies forth in search of a meal, all its facul- 

 ties are keenly on the alert. If man learns by experi- 

 ence, so too does the jackal. 



Even poisoned bait is frequently unsuccessful, 

 for the reason that the jackal's senses of taste and 

 smell being so highly developed, it easily detects 

 the poison and refuses to eat the bait. 



Strychnine is the poison usually employed. A 

 plan which meets with a fair share of success is 

 to make balls of fat about the size of marbles, in 

 the centre of each of which a fatal dose of strych- 

 nine has been introduced. These are placed 

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