THE JACKAL 73 



nearest thicket, they rush hastily down to the remains of the car- 

 cass, and are soon snarling and quarrelling over it. 



Jackals have sometimes been called the " lion's providers ". It 

 would be more accurate, however, to style the lion the "jackal's 

 provider", since these animals so frequently obtain a meal from 

 the remains of the victims which he has killed. They seldom hunt 

 prey for them- 

 selves, for they are 

 rather cowardly 

 animals, and have 

 been known to run 

 away from even a 

 small child armed 

 with a stick. 



In appearance 

 they are very 

 much like rather 

 large foxes, with 

 long, narrow 

 muzzles and big, 

 bushytails. They 

 live, as a rule, in 

 large packs, which 

 hide away during 

 the daytime 

 among bushes or in holes, and come out at night to scour the 

 country in search of food. 



Sometimes, however, a jackal will live all by himself, generally 

 choosing the neighbourhood of a village for his habitation. In 

 such a case he soon becomes very troublesome to the inhabitants, 

 carrying off pigs, lambs, kids, and poultry with such caution that 

 it is very difficult to shoot or trap him. 



If a pack of jackals should happen to meet with a wounded 

 animal they will follow it for days, seeming to know that it is 

 certain to fall a victim to them at last. But so wanting in courage 

 are they, that they will not dare to attack it until it sinks to the 

 ground under the faintness of approaching death. 



Jackal 



