NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 
savage and tenacious manner and with great power, 
for the muscles of its jaws and neck are large and 
strong. Though such‘a formidable opponent to 
tackle, when once captured and treated kindly it 
becomes surprisingly tame, docile, and affection- 
ate. When taken into captivity very young, or 
when about half grown, ratels become as tame as 
domestic dogs, and make the most amusing of pets. 
If the cage be large and roomy the ratel plays all 
sorts of antics. Trotting to one end of the cage it 
quickly turns and, taking a short, swift run, thrusts 
its head between its forepaws, arches its back, and 
bowls along like a football. One which I have in 
captivity is as tame as any domestic dog. On an 
occasion I gave it its liberty in a small hall. My 
friend had a fox terrier, which instantly began 
barking at the ratel. The latter, without the 
slightest warning, made a short rapid rush at the 
dog, closing itself up like a hedgehog and trun- 
dling like a big hairy ball over the floor. The 
terrier skipped out of the way, and when the im- 
petus with which the ratel had launched itself was 
expended, it raised its head and glanced around. 
Instantly it was up and at the terrier again. Its 
energy was astonishing. Round and round the 
room it chased the dog, and every time it came 
within a few yards of it the ratel rolled itself at the 
dog. Evidently it thought the performance excel- 
lent fun, for all the time it gave voice to a low, 
peculiar sound, which I learned to know was an 
152 
