8O NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



"Why called the Lion's Provider Mr. Pennant's account. 



beasts of prey, by a kind of instinct, attend to it 

 as a signal for the chace, and seize such timid 

 animals as fly from the noise* From this cir- 

 cumstance it is that the jackal has obtained the 

 title of the Lion's Provider. Jackals burrow in 

 the earth ; and leave their habitations during the 

 night only, to range for prey. The females 

 breed once a year, and produce from six to eight 

 young at a birth. They are found in all the hot 

 and temperate parts of Asia, and in most parts of 

 Africa, from Barbary to the Cape of Good Hope. 

 Such is the substance of the account given 

 by Mr. Pennant : that of the Comte de Buffon 

 is different. He observes, that these are stupid 

 and voracious animals, and very difficult to be 

 tamed; and that with one kept nearly a twelve- 

 month, neither food nor caresses would soften its 

 disposition, though taken young and reared with 

 the utmost attention. It would allow no one to 

 touch it, but attempted to bite all persons indis- 

 criminately. When suffered to be at liberty, 

 nothing could prevent it from leaping on the 

 tables, and carrying off every eatable it could lay 

 hold of. This naturalist also asserts, that when- 

 ever this animal meets with travellers, it stops to 

 reconnoitre them without any symptoms of ap- 

 prehension : that it is exceedingly voracious ; 

 and, when nothing better offers, will even eat the 

 leather of harness, boots, or shoes. Whenever 

 any of these creatures begin to utter their cry, all 

 the rest do the same; so that when one has en- 



