14 PERSONAL KJRRATIFE. 



spotted species {H. crocuta) was that most prevalent. 

 H. striata is also said to occur. Jackals were common 

 enough, but by some singular fatality I could never 

 succeed in securing a specimen. When on horseback 

 without a gun, 1 have often passed within a few yards ; 

 but when looking for specimens, I rarely saw more than 

 a taU retreating at full speed amongst the bushes fifty 

 yards away. All I can state of the kind is that it is 

 quite different from the jackal of India, and also from 

 that of the Abyssinian highlands, being a much more 

 slightly-built animal, with longer legs and a much 

 greyer colour. The cry, too, is very distinct. It is 

 probably Cams riparius of Hemprich and Ehrenberg; 

 but species of jackals, like cats, Hyraces, and many 

 other animals, have been confused by naturalists, many 

 of whom only know them in the form of dried skins, 

 to an extent which renders identification difficult. 

 I once obtained a fine wild cat (F. maniculata), 

 which took refuge in the camp amongst a pile of pack- 

 eaddles, and was caught, singularly enough, on one of 

 the hooks intended for holding the loads. Hares were 

 common until they met their fate at the hands of the 

 British soldier and his dog, and the only mammals except 

 the hysenas and jackals which profited by the British 

 occupation were some small bright rufous jerboa mice, 

 with very long hind legs, which found unwonted supplies 

 of food in the commissariat stores, and increased and 

 multiplied until the ground around the huts and tents 

 was riddled with their holes. Besides the large Scemmer- 

 ing's gazelle previously mentioned, the Dorcas gazelle was 



