74 THE BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM 



feature that may be mentioned is the skill displayed "in driving 

 their game towards the home of the nursing bitches, so as to kill 

 it conveniently near to them. In short, they seem to know all about 

 hunting that an animal could learn, their tactics being nearly 

 perfect." 



DHOLES, OR INDIAN AND SIBERIAN WILD DOGS. Leaving 

 the African continent, let us in imagination take a trip to India, 

 for there we may observe the Dhole, Indian, or Red Dog. The 

 specimens exhibited in Fig. 60 came over to England with our 

 present King's collection in 1906, and were the first of their kind 

 exhibited at the Zoological Gardens in Regent's Park. 



The Red Dog is a resident of the forest in its native land, and 

 possesses a wide range in spite of its being an inveterate enemy of 

 game. 



For purpose of comparison it is interesting to take notice of the 

 Dhole of Siberia, or, as we may call it, the Siberian Wild Dog. 

 This latter, as will be observed after examining the specimen depicted 

 in Fig. 61, has a prolific Winter coat and a large brush-like tail. 

 It is lighter in colour than its Indian relative. 



Strictly speaking, these Dholes, as some naturalists prefer to call 

 them, are distinguished from Dogs, Wolves and Foxes by being 

 the possessors of a less number of teeth. There are two teeth miss- 

 ing in the lower jaw, and to this divergence must also be added the 

 long hair which is situate between the pads of the feet, and further 

 the greater number of teats. These distinguishing differences dispel 

 the idea that the many breeds of domestic dogs are descended from 

 these so-called wild kinds, and hence, as Mr. Finn rightly remarks, 

 "the term Dhole is preferable to that of Wild Dog" 



A lover of the chase, the Indian Dhole hunts in packs, and its 

 courage at such times is nothing short of remarkable when it is 

 remembered that it is no larger than a Collie Dog, and that even 

 such a large beast as the Gaur, an Indian Wild Ox, may fall a prey 

 to its cunning. In the forest, too, the game stand a poor chance 

 when a hungry pack of these Indian Dholes decide on a night's 

 slaughter. Deer are persistently pursued, and once the Dholes get 

 on the track of likely prey their pertinacity knows no bounds. 

 Having come up with their larger cousin of the wilds, it is he or 

 they who are destined to prove conquerors, for one or other must 

 assuredly give in. The Dholes in their strongly organized pack bait 

 their prey until they prove successful combatants. 



