NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 
the health of flesh-eating animals. When a regular 
and abundant supply of flesh food is forthcoming, 
with but little physical effort, carnivorous animals 
grow mangy and otherwise diseased, for the reason 
that the toxic substances generated in the body 
by a flesh diet are not eliminated. 
Those of the human race who eat largely of flesh 
food, and who do not do heavy manual labour, 
bring ill-health in various forms upon themselves, 
in the same way as do the carnivorous animals. 
With the wild dogs it is always a feast or a famine. 
The stomach may be loaded to its utmost capacity 
at times, but it goes for days at a time empty. 
Many of the human race load their stomachs every 
day of the year and yet expect to remain in a con- 
dition of health. 
All observers who have come in contact much 
with these wild dogs are unanimous in their state- 
ments that they tear up and devour their prey in 
the most expeditious way, biting out great mouth- 
fuls of flesh and bolting it whole. A pack of a 
dozen of these hounds will eat up a large antelope 
within fifteen minutes. The larger animals are 
usually attacked just below the tail, the endeavour 
being to tear out the bowels and thus completely 
cripple the hunted creature. 
In those parts where wild dogs have not from 
experience been taught to dread man and his fire- 
arms, they do not show any great fear of his kind, 
for when molested they usually slowly and sullenly 
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