138 THE WILDERNESS AND JUNGLE 



defence of their young. A spaniel belonging* 

 to Colonel Williamson one day came running 

 back to its master, with a jackal in hot pursuit, 

 and with her were several little cubs snarling 

 at the intruder with a fine show of courage. 

 As a case of extraordinary and inexplicable 

 behaviour on the part of a jackal, the following 

 episode is of interest, even though its causes 

 must be left to the reader's imagination. One 

 of these animals suddenly started careering 

 round a sportsman, coming closer and closer 

 until it passed within reach. He and his shikari 

 were at a loss to account for its conduct, 

 never having seen any incident of the kind 

 before, and the only opinion expressed on the 

 occasion was that the animal might perhaps 

 have been bitten by a snake. Nearer and 

 nearer it came in its circuit until, wishing 

 rather to drive it off than to hurt it, the 

 shikari actually hit it over the head with the 

 back of his knife, when the jackal started 

 circling in the opposite direction and then 

 trotted off as if cured of its foolishness. I 

 distinctly recollect reading somewhere a similar 

 story of an English fox, and the suggested 

 explanation, unless I am mistaken, was that 

 it might have been a tame animal escaped 

 from captivity, but this would not apply in the 

 case of the jackal. 



