THE COMMON JACKAL. 185 



hundred, which burrow together in the earth, hunt together, 

 and act in concert for their mutual defence. Thus formidably 

 organized, these troops not only prey upon the domestic poultry 

 and other small animals, but they chase and devour antelopes 

 and other large mammals. They also frequently follow the 

 tiger or the lion, that they may devour whatever remains of 

 carcases either of those animals may leave behind it. 



In some parts of India, the frightful howling of innumerable 

 jackals is incessant, from the first approach of night until the 

 first dawn of day. They come up to the very doors, in large 

 packs, and roar away without any apparent purpose, frequently 

 standing a long time in one place, as a dog does when baying the 

 moon, or, more correctly speaking, when it barks at a shadow 

 or howls with pain at night-time. Captain Skinner says, that 

 until he became familiar to the clamorous screaming of the 

 jackals, he used to start from his sleep, imagining that some 

 appalling calamity had driven the inhabitants of a neighbouring 

 town to rush from their homes in fear and madness. 



An officer in India brought up a young jackal, which he so 

 far succeeded in taming that it would follow him like a dog, 

 keeping, however, rather on one side of his master instead of 

 directly behind htm ; and it would also fetch and carry. In 

 other respects it was wild and fierce, a dangerous companion, 

 and very addicted to thieving. It used to jump upon the 

 breakfast and dinner table, and carry off whatever bread and 

 meat it could steal undetected j but when its master's stores 

 were inaccessible, it would pillage loaves of bread and legs of 

 mutton from the other officers. It was in the habit of sharing 

 its stolen dainties with a large fierce dog, which its master 

 wished to train to keep the jackal in order. Once, when a 

 gentleman and lady, with their young child, were on a visit at 

 the house, the jackal was, as usual, fastened up for the night ; 

 but, lo ! at midnight, a loud cry was heard from the nurse ; 

 the jackal had got loose, and carried off the unfortunate infant 

 from its cot. The jackal was instantly pursued, when it dropped 

 the child unharmed, outside the house, and the animal was 



