852 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



selves excavate ; disinter dead bodies, and, when impelled 

 by hunger, may become dangerous even to men. 



The Chacal can be tamed with tolerable facility, but he 

 always preserves an extreme timidity, which he manifests 

 by concealing himself on hearing the slightest unusual 

 sound, or on seeing any person whom he does not know. 

 His fear, too, has a character different from that of other 

 wild animals. Among the latter, it is nothing but the senti- 

 ment of self-preservation, the result of some apparent 

 danger, and is as powerful a stimulus to resistance as to 

 flight, when the latter has become impossible. The Chacal, 

 on the contrary, like a Dog, which fears the chastisement 

 of his master, flies when he is approached, but the moment 

 you reach him, you may touch him in all manner of ways 

 without any attempt, on his part, to resist or injure you. 

 This apparent contradiction seems the result of this natu- 

 ral instinct, which impels him to distrust every strange 

 species, and of his acquired knowledge, which has taught 

 him that there is no real danger. This, perhaps, is the 

 state which is nearest to the most perfect tameness. There 

 are many animals which will not fly the presence of man, 

 but which, at the same time, will not suffer themselves to 

 be touched. Others will not fly, but will not receive ca- 

 resses, except from those whom they are accustomed to 



The bleak wind of the stranger blew 

 Chill on this withered heart : — the grave 

 Dark and untimely met my view, 

 And all for thee, vile yellow slave ! 

 And com'st thou now so late to mock 

 A banished wand'rer's hopes forlorn, 

 Now that his frame the lightning shock 

 Of sun-rays tipt with death has borne 

 From friends, from home, from country torn, 

 To memory's fond regrets the prey. 

 Vile slave ! thy yellow dross I scorn, 

 Go ! mix thee with thy kindred clay." 



