CHAPTER VII. 



THE WILD DOG. 



CUON RUTILANS, 

 Throughout India— Jangll Kutd. In Thibet — Hdzi. 



The Wild Dog is found in all parts of the hills, from the highest ranges of Thibet down 

 to the foot of the Himalayas. 



Wild Dogs frequently go in pairs, sometimes in packs, and wander about a great deal. 

 They are fearfully destructive to game, and if their fresh footmarks are to be found upon 

 a hill, farewell to any chance of sport in the neighbourhood ; for every wild animal will have 

 been driven away. The Ibex seems to be a very favorite prey of the Wild Dogs, but 

 nothing comes amiss to them ; ponies, cattle, sheep, deer, are indiscriminately slaughtered. 

 Even the Tiger is said occasionally to fall a victim to the attacks of a pack, but this story 

 requires confirmation. The Serow, it has been stated, is the only animal that is at all able to 

 make a successful stand, occasionally transfixing his adversaries on his sharp and powerful 

 horns. 



Mr. Wilson and others have remarked that during the breeding season the Wild Dogs 

 will, with extraordinary sagacity, drive a hunted animal to the vicinity of their earths before 

 killing it, in the same way as an African hunter will drive an Eland up to the waggons 

 before despatching him, thus saving the trouble of carrying the meat. 



The Wild Dog stands considerably higher than the common Jackal ; he is also much 

 longer in the body, and more wolfish looking. The color is a reddish yellow ; the hair is soft 

 and woolly, and about two inches in length. The tail is long and bushy and carried like a 

 Fox's, but it is not so full as the brush of the latter animal. 



Although I have often, to my cost, been in the vicinity of Wild Dogs, I have very seldom 

 seen them. The first I met with were near the hot springs in the Furiabad Valley in 1862. 

 A pair crossed the path as I was marching along ; I fired a snap shot and knocked one over, 

 but although hit with a shell it managed to escape. 



In 1864, I found two Dogs feeding on the offal of a Burrell which I had killed the previ- 

 ous day, but I did not get a shot at them. A few days afterwards (July 16th) I was walking 

 along the road between Meroo and Oobshi, on the way to Leh, when I saw a Wild Dog 

 drinking at the other side of the river. I quickly uncased my rifle and shot him dead, and 

 sent a Tartar across the river to bag him ; he proved to be a fine specimen, and his head is 

 well represented in the photograph. 



I have no more personal experience of the Wild Dog. 



F 



