‘A JOURNEY IN THE EAST, 291 
the races of Egyptian dogs. While in this country I noticed 
the singular fact that the village dog, the African Wolf (Canis 
lupaster), “ Abu el Hussein ” or “ Deeb ” of the Arabs, and the 
Jackal (Canis aureus), “Talib” of the Egyptians and “ Wawi” 
of the Syrians, are much mixed by cross-breeding. We 
never killed two wolves or two jackals which were exactly 
like each other, either in size or colour; and in Palestine the 
variations among the jackals were still more marked. On 
the whole, the Asiatic Jackal is larger than the North-African. 
Among a number which were fairly alike, I shot one which 
differed from all the others both in form and coloration, and 
yet one could not say that this singular creature was a wolf. 
The dogs of the Hast also frequently show traces of a wild 
origin, which is not surprising when one considers what a free 
ownerless life they lead, and how the wolves and jackals prowl 
about the outskirts of the towns and villages every night, and 
often every evening. 
I will even go so far as to assert that in those parts of 
Africa and Asia where dogs, wolves, and jackals live close 
together, one cannot speak of the jackal as being a good 
and separate species. Dogs and wolves keep their breeds 
purer; but I have failed to find that the Canis aureus of 
scientific works is a true and distinctly characterized species. 
But to return to the incidents of our journey. The steamer 
ran on until ten o’clock in the forenoon, when she stopped 
above the sandbank at Dabbabiéh, on which I had seen the 
great Sociable Vultures when going up the river On landing 
we at once found that the fellaheen had faithfully carried out 
our directions, for a little reed-hut had been erected, and the 
bones of dogs and sheep showed that the vultures had been 
daily fed. 
We had great difficulty in keeping off the inquisitive 
natives, who, proud of their achievements, now wished to 
participate in the sport. Some Egyptian Vultures soon 
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