78 A HAND-BOOK OF THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 



extremely irritable. Taking advantage of its temper, nitrate of silver 

 lotion was applied to the ulcer : a small mop fastened to the end of an 

 iron rod was dipped in the lotion and held out to the animal, which 

 seized it at once by the mouth. The repetition of this operation 

 evidently gave relief to the beast, as it allowed itself, after a day or 

 two, to be doctored without difficulty. 



Wounds and injuries are very common amongst them : not long 

 ago a specimen was so severely attacked by its companion in the same 

 den that it had to be killed. Young animals, recent arrivals at the 

 garden, sometimes die without apparently suffering from any illness. 



Observations on the habits of Hyenas. 

 Although nocturnal in habits in their wild state, they may be con- 

 stantly seen restlessly pacing their cage almost the whole day, espe- 

 cially those that have for some time lived in captivity. Their mis- 

 chievous propensities, however, seem to be aroused at night only. A 

 hysena is a very cowardly animal, so that the upraised broomstick 

 of the keeper drives it to the furthest corner of the cage with its tail 

 between its legs. They are sometimes very noisy at night, and their 

 cry is harsh and disgreeable. With regard to their cowardice, it may 

 be remarked that, if required to do so, a plucky keeper has no difficulty 

 in going inside the den of an adult beast; it snarls, but shows no 

 fight. 



(82) THE WOLF. 



(CANIS LUPUS— Linn.) 



A black variety of the wolf was exhibited in the garden for a 

 few months, prior to its departure to the Zoological Society's Garden, 

 London. It came from Thibet. 



(83) THE INDIAN WOLF. 



(CANIS PALLIPES— SyJces.) 

 Hindi — Bheriya. Bengali — Nekreh. 



Wolves vary in colour ; generally they are of an earthy-grey colour 

 with a brownish or fulvous tinge ; some are entirely rufous. In some 

 the brownish tinge on the back is much mixed with black, whereas in 

 others there is a total absence of black. Black colour on the back 

 appears to be more common in older specimens. In very young speci- 

 mens there is a milk-white spot on the chest, which disappears when 

 the animal is about a month and a half old, giving place to a dark colour 

 below the neck. 



Eab. — The Indian Peninsula. With the exception of a single 

 specimen from Purneah, most of the wolves have been received from 

 Behar and West Bengal. 



Length of life in captivity. 

 A wolf has been living in the garden for the last eleven years. 



Treatment in health. 

 Homing.— Adult wolves require substantial accommodation : they 

 have thriven when kept in a building of masonry structure somewhat of 



