WILD DOG OF THE HIMALAYA. 225 



his manners in that state must rest upon the authority of others — highly 

 respectable natives who spoke to what they personally knew. 



The Wild Dog preys by night and by day, but chiefly by day. Six, 

 eight, or ten unite to hunt down their victim, m.aintaining the chase by 

 their powers of smell rather than by the eye. They usually overcome 

 their quarry by dint of force and perseverance, though they sometimes 

 effect their object by mixing stratagem with direct violence. Their 

 urine is peculiarly acrid: and they are said to sprinkle it over the 

 low bushes amongst which their destined victim will probably move ; 

 and then, in secret, to watch the result. If the stratagem succeed they 

 rush out upon the devoted animal, whilst half blinded by the urine, and 

 destroyed it before it has recovered that clearness of vision which could 

 best have enabled it to flee or defend itself. 



This trick the Budnsits usually playoff" upon the animals whose speed 

 or strength might otherwise fail them, such as the buff aloe, wild and tame, 

 and certain large deer and antelopes. Other animals they fairly hunt 

 down, or furiously assail and kill by mere violence. In hunting they bark 

 like hounds; but their barking is in such a voice as no language can 

 express. It is utterly unlike the fine voice of our cultivated breeds ; and 

 almost as unlike to the peculiar strains of the jackal and of the fox. The 

 Budnsu does not burrow like the wolf and fox : but reposes and breeds 

 in the recesses, and natural cavities of rocks, in the manner of the jackal 

 of Nepal. These peculiarities of domicile are probably in a great degree 

 the consequenceso fthe respective habitats of the animals in open plains or 

 mountain fastnesses: and they doubtless chaiiLi,r tlicm when constraitiod to 

 change their location. There is scarcely a wild animal, however large or 

 formidable, which the Wild Dogs will not sonuniiucs attack and dc^^troy ; 

 and tame buffaloes and cows, when -razing in very solitary districts, 



