CANIS. 141 



found in Assam and Cachar, and is not unoomuion at Akyab and about 

 Thayet Myo iu Northern Pegu. It has also recently been observed 

 close to Mandalay. The only place where I have heard of its 

 occurrence farther south or east is near Moulmaiu *, where Mr. 

 Theobald tells me he once saw two; but it is possible these 

 might have been introduced. West of India it extends throughout 

 ^South-^^•estern Asia to the Caucasus, and is found iu Houth-easteru 

 Europe in Greece and Turkey, and as far \vest as Daliuatia, also 

 throughout Northern Africa, being replaced by closely allied 

 species in the Ethiopian region. 



Habits. Jackals are found singly or two or more together, and 

 they sometimes associate in considerable uumbers, especially at 

 night, as is shown by their bowlings. They are principally noc- 

 turnal, more so, I think, than the Indian wolf, but by no means 

 exclusively ; iu the cold season they may be seen about at all 

 hours. Their food is Aery varied, consisting of carrion of all 

 kinds, any beasts or birds tliat they can master, and, iu default of 

 animal food, fruit. Tbe jackal is one of tbe common scavengers 

 of towns and villages, feeding on offal or dead carcases of any kind, 

 and occasionally killing poultry or even lambs or kids. " Sickly 

 sheep and goats usually fall a prey to him, and a wounded ante- 

 lope is pretty certain to be tracked and hunted to death by jackals "' 

 (Jerdon). Amongst fruits, he especially feeds on her (Zizi/pJms), 

 and he is said in several parts of India to be v^ery fond of sugar- 

 cane and of maize. " In Wynaad, as well as in Ceylon, he de- 

 vours considerable quantities of ripe coffee-berries ; the seeds pass 

 through him, well pulped, and are found and picked up by the 

 coolies ; it is asserted that the seeds so found make the best 

 coffee ! " {Jerclon). As Stern dale explains, these seeds are the best 

 because the jackals select the finest fruit. 



The cry of the jackal is familiar to all who have ever resided in 

 the countries inhabited by the animal, and consists of two parts — a 

 long wailing howl thi*ee or four times repeated, each repetition in a 

 note a little higher than the preceding, and then a succession of 

 usually three quick yelps, also repeated two or three times. The 

 conunon Anglo-Indian version of " Dead Hindoo ; where, where, 

 where," gives some idea of the call. In one African jackal, 

 C. variegatus of Abyssinia, the second portion of the cry is entirely 

 wanting. 



There is, however, another, a very peculiar call, only uttered by 

 the jackal, it is believed, when a tiger or leopard is in the neigh- 

 bourhood, and certainly uttered upon such occasions. The cry is 

 unmistakable, I have several times heard it ; but the jackal that 

 makes it carries us at once into the region of fable and folk-lore. 

 The same story that has existed on the shores of the Mediterranean 

 for two thousand years at least, that a jackal acts as scout for the 



* There are, however, iu the Leyclen Museum two stuffed specimens of this 

 animal collected by Diard, and one of them is labelled from Malacca, the others 

 from Borneo. It is impossible to say whether the localities are correct. 



