144 J. Man Tiers-Smith— iro/f Hyhridf^ in Gilgif. [No. 2, 



Later on however when my bitch grew up examination proved by 

 dentition, number of mammae and other characteristics such as the la-ck 

 of any marked brush in tail, and her abnormal weight for a true wild 

 dog that she belonged to the genus Ganifi and not to Gyon. It thus 

 became evident that she must be a ' hybrid ' and T began to make 

 enquiries at Minawar to try and verify facts. 



Unfortunately no very certain or absolutely reliable evidence of the 

 a.nimars pedigree has been obtained. It was a well known fact however 

 as I learnt then and from subsequent enquiries that a female Avild 

 animal — the villagers declare it to be a bitch wolf — has for 3 years past 

 in successive winters, i.e., in 1898-99, 1899-1900, and now again in 1900- 

 1901 when in season hung about the village precincts and has attracted 

 the attentions of their village dogs. These have followed her some 

 way from the village and from them she has been pleased to select a 

 mate to satisfy her natural desires. This phenomenon has been seen 

 and is vouched for by several reliable eye witnesses. For three years 

 now the results of this strange union have been proved by the capture 

 of the young cubs. 



First in 1899, when my bitch was caught and brought in to me in 

 May. The pups then were fairly big and several escaped, one only 

 being caught. 



Then in 1900, oji this occasion all the pups some 8 or 9 in number 

 were eauo'lir, but were killed by the goat herd boys who found them 

 when ([uitc! small. As I happened to be away from Gilgit no report was 

 ma.de to me at the time and no specimens of the puppies were kept to 

 show. 



Finally this year in 1901. First the pups were caught and 

 brought in to Gilgit and a few days after the mother. As she was 

 injured by the trap and appeared to be dying I had her killed as well 

 as 2 of her pups and sent the skins and skulls to the Indian Museum. 



One or two of the pups are still alive in Gilgit. They are almost 

 entirely like the village dog sire and show little sign of the wolf strain 

 or of the characteristics of the mother except that they are shyer and 

 more furtive in their movements than ordinary puppies. Apart however 

 from the evidence of the men who brought in the pups I am satisfied 

 Irom their wild behaviour when brought to me and which they had not 

 aba,ndoned entirely several weeks after capture when last I saw them 

 that they were really the offspring of the wild bitch. 1 put the pups 

 to the mother when she was brought in to Gilgit and she allowed them 

 to try and suckle her and though injured did nothing to harm them 

 and appeared pleased to have them near her. 



According to the villagers' statement the litter of last year which 



