604 Great and Small Game of Africa 



largest size in the Matamiri bush, where the vast troops of impala supply 

 them with abundance of food. 



They are found throughout South-East Africa in suitable localities, but 

 have been driven away from nearly all civilised, or partially civilised centres, 

 except in the Cape Colony, where the enormous tracts of scrub-bush offer a 

 secure haven of refuge. In the Portuguese" Provincia de Mozambique " I 

 have not met with any, nor do I think they occur there ; in fact, they are 

 far less numerous throughout the regions north of the Zambesi than in 

 those to the south. 



They have three very distinct cries — a short bark when one comes 

 suddenly upon them in the bush, or some strange object attracts their atten- 

 tion ; a voluble chattering, frequently harshly guttural, made by a troop 

 when excited, or after they have run down their prey ; and a clear single 

 call-note, beautifully musical, and often heard at sunrise when scattered 

 members of a troop call to their comrades. They usually drink after sun- 

 rise, again at mid-day, and in the evening. At mid-day, when the " pack " 

 has finished drinking, I have often seen them taking a sun-bath in the sand. 

 They are both bold and inquisitive, and when disturbed, trot away in front 

 of the intruder, frequently standing and barking at him. I have heard of a 

 well-authenticated instance of a man on the tramp, carrying his swag, who 

 was pursued by a pack of these dogs and forced to take refuge at a sports- 

 man's waggon ; they only gave way on being fired at. Under ordinary 

 circumstances they would never venture to attack a human being. They 

 are partly nocturnal in their habits, but usually doing their hunting in the 

 evenings or early morning. However, I have heard them catching impala 

 at midnight. The greatest animosity exists between domestic dogs and 

 these bush-pirates, and the presence of the former seems to incite the latter 

 to frantic rage. I have never seen a domestic dog able to cope single-handed 

 with these powerful -jawed creatures. These hunting-dogs are terribly 

 destructive, not only to domestic animals but also to game, far more so than 



