146 NATURAL HISTORY. 



The Pariali Dogs occur in Turkey, Egypt, Syria, China, India, &c., varying a good deal accord- 

 ing to their abode. Their habits are well described by Mr. G. K. Jesse, whose account of the 

 Egyptian Pariah will apply equally well to that of Constantinople, or of any other place where sanitary 

 regulations are simply nil, and where the Dogs are the only creatures who make any attempt to clear 

 the place of fever-breeding filth. 



" The Dogs of the Egyptian towns are masterless, and live on carcases thrown out on the mounds 

 of rubbish outside the walls and what is cast them by the charitable. In the villages, and with the 

 shepherds along the desert, they are better cared for, protecting the property of the people from thieves, 

 and their animals from wild beasts. These Dogs are generally sandy in colour, but they vary some 

 are black, and others white. At Ermeret, near Thebes, is a breed of black Dogs, quite different from 

 those of Lower Egypt fierce, excellent watchers, having roughish wiry hair, and drooping but small 

 ears : they are stated to be derived from the Slowara Arabs. Numbers of Dogs congregate on some 

 of the rubbish mounds outside the gates and walls of Cairo, and live on the carcases of Horses, Asses, 

 &c., which are thrown there, the Arabs not having arrived at that pitch of "Western economy which ter- 

 minates the utility of a beast of burden at a cheap restaurant. These masterless Dogs act as scavengers, 

 in which capacity they are accompanied by the large black-and-white yellow-billed Carrion Hawk, 

 Kites, and troops of black-and-grey Carrion Crows. Among the skeletons, and scattered bones, heads, 

 and hoofs, these Dogs about two feet in height, generally of a yellow colour, or black, or a dirty 

 white, smooth-skinned, and mostly with erect pointed ears may be seen in crowds, their mouths and 

 necks bloody, snarling, snapping, fighting, tearing, and gorging to repletion. The bitches scratch holes 

 in. the rubbish-heaps, and there bring forth their young. After the bones of the dead animals are 

 cleared of flesh by the Dogs, bundles of them are collected and carried off by women and children. 

 The Dogs of the town associate in bands, and each band has its district and its chief. No other Dog 

 is permitted to enter the territory without being at once assailed. If, however, a Dog wishes to pass 

 from one quarter of the town to another, he is said to creep along with his tail down in a humble 

 manner, and immediately the Dogs of that part come upon him to throw himself on his back, and 

 deprecate their attack. After due examination, he is allowed to proceed, but repeats his submissive 

 actions whenever he meets new foes, and so, after enduring repeated challenges, gains his destination. 

 These Dogs are still and quiet during the day (unless, indeed, an European comes in sight, when their 

 vociferousness is loud and long), but at night they are very vigilant, and guard the bazaars against the 

 nocturnal thief." 



In some parts of India the superfluous Pariahs are utilised by giving them as food to caged Tigers. 

 An anecdote is related of one who proved himself a match for the Tiger, and who was, as a reward, 

 admitted to close intimacy with the royal beast. 



" I knew an instance," says Captain Williamson, " of one that was destined for the Tiger's daily 

 meal standing on the defensive, in a manner that completely astonished both the Tiger and the 

 spectator. He crept into a corner, and whenever the Tiger approached, seized him by the lip or the 

 neck, making him roar most piteously. The Tiger, however, impelled by hunger for all supply of food 

 was purposely withheld would renew the attack. The result was ever the same. At length the 

 Tiger began to treat the Dog with more deference, and not only allowed him to partake of the mess of 

 rice and milk furnished daily for his subsistence, but even refrained from any attempt to disturb him. 

 The two animals at length became reconciled to each other, and a strong attachment was formed 

 between them. The Dog was then allowed ingress and egress through the aperture ; and, considering 

 the cage as his home, he left it and returned to it just as he thought proper. When the Tiger died he 

 moaned the loss of his companion for a considerable period." 



In Siam, these unhappy creatures are equally abundant, and are even worse off. Mr. Thomson* 

 states that they occur in great numbers in nearly all the temples. " It is contrary to the Buddhist 

 creed to take away life ; hence many of their temples become places of refuge for troops of famished 

 Dogs, who remain there till they die ; for though the priests give them what food they can spare, 

 there is never enough for them all. These Dogs, then, are usually animated skeletons, their skins 

 destitute of hair, and covered with many sores. I tossed them a little food; it gave rise to the most 



* " The Straits of Malacca, Indo-China, and China. 7 ' 



