MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 165 



This year I was encamped within ten miles of the same spot and the same 

 thing was repeated. A pair of these marauding Magpies at once alighted on 

 some Black Buck's flesh that was hung upon a tree for my dogs, and as on the 

 former occasion, the birds were at the meat nearly the whole day, going away 

 for a rest, and returning for more. 



W. OSBORN, Liedt.-Gen., I.S.C. 

 JuGALsuK, Kdlld— Punjab, 

 June 20th, 1901. 



No. XVril.— INDIAN SHEEP DOaS, AND ANOTHER 

 INDIAN DOG. 



After reading Miscellaneous Note No. 23 in the Journal of the Bombay 

 Natural History Society, published on the 18th of May 1901, on Indian Sheep 

 Dogs, I can fully endorse all that "J. F. G-." has therein written on their instinct, 

 courage, and training, as I have had during my travels, and shooting rambles, 

 very many opportunities of seeing, and watching the working of these 

 valuable assistants to the Indian shepherd. That these dogs can, and do 

 drive off wolves, I think there is no doubt. I have seen a pair of wolves 

 watching a flock of sheep, during the temporary absence of the shepherd. 

 The dogs being on guard, the wolves were evidently afraid to attack, though 

 everything was in their favour, except the Sheep Dogs. So intent were these 

 two wolves on the business before them, waiting for a cliance, that I was 

 able to shoot one of the pair, the female. 



From the large hairy sheep dog of the Guddis, who come down with their 

 sheep and goats from Chamba, Lahoul, and Spiti, into the North Punjab 

 during the winter, down to the sheep dogs of Southern India, these animals 

 are nearly all trained in the manner described by " J. F. G." Of their ferocity 

 and capability of attacking any animal whatsoever that approaches their 

 flocks, I once had an interesting experience. I was black buck shooting on 

 the plains between Bellary in the Ceded Districts and Hurryhur in the 

 Mysore Country. I had wounded a fine buck, and was riding him down with 

 the spear. The buck was practically mine, for the plain extended for miles • 

 my nag had plenty of go left in him and the buck was getting done, when 

 unluckily for him, he took a course which led him quite close to a sheep-fold. 

 Directly he passed it, three large sheep dogs bounded over the thorn fence 

 attracted by the sound of the buck galloping over the stony ground. At this 

 point of the chase I was only thirty or forty yards behind. The dogs laid 

 into the buck in first rate style, and pulled him down in about a quarter of a 

 mile. I jumped off my horse, intending to give the coup de grace, but so fierce 

 and determined were the dogs that I thought it most prudent to stand out 

 and let the fight go on without me. The buck was dead and mangled by 

 the time the shepherds came upj and they rescued the venison for me. Had 



