600 Great and Small Game of Africa 



one earth — and from this peculiarity it has, of course, acquired its Dutch 

 name of " earth-wolf " or "ground-wolf." Aard-wolves are comparatively 

 inoffensive beasts, and although South African farmers will tell you that 

 they do much damage to lambs and kids, their weak dentition is standing 

 evidence to the contrary. Occasionally these animals may devour a piece 

 of carrion, or even birds, lizards, and reptiles, but their principal dietary 

 seems to consist of white ants, grubs, and other insectivorous food. They 

 are slow in their paces and offer little or no defence when attacked, and 

 are in consequence quickly run into by dogs and worried, or knocked on the 

 head with a native club or knobkerrie. Their habits are nocturnal. The 

 aard-wolf has been found in Somaliland and in West Africa as far north as 

 Angola. In South Africa it is widely but sparingly distributed. 



H. A. Bryden. 



DOGS AND WOLVES 

 Family Canid/e. Genus Canis 



The members of the dog tribe are so easily recognised that a very 

 brief summary of characters will suffice here. They all have long, pointed 

 muzzles, digitigrade feet furnished with non-retractile claws, four hind 

 and usually five front toes, and moderately long, well-haired tails, the size 

 of the pointed ears varying considerably. Their teeth are of the general 

 type of those of the civets, but in the African members of the group two 

 more in number, the total being forty-two. The carnassials are of a much 

 less decidedly scissor-like type than in either the cats or the hyasnas, that 

 of the lower jaw having a large tubercular portion behind the blade. 

 Details in the structure of the hinder part of the skull distinguish the 

 dogs widely from the members of the civet tribe. 



The only African member of the typical genus Cams worthy to be 

 classed among great game is the Abyssinian wolf (C. simensis). 



