226 



DESCRIPTION OF THE 



sometimes fall a sacrifice to their ravenous appetite. Human beings they are 

 never known to attack ; and indeed they seem to be actuated by a very 

 peculiar degree of dread of man. Those which I kept in confinement when 

 their den M^as approached rushed into the remotest corner of it, huddled one 

 upon another with their heads concealed as much as possible. I never dared 

 to lay hands on them, but if poked with a stick they would retreat from it 

 as long as they could, and then crush themselves into a corner, growling 

 low, and sometimes, but rarely, seizing the stick and biting it with vehe- 

 mence. After ten months'confinement, they were as wild and shy as the first 

 liour I got them. Their eyes emitted a strong light in the dark ; and their 

 bodies had the peculiar foetid odour of the Fox and Jackal in all its rank- 

 iiess. They were very silent, never uttering an audible sound save when 

 fed, at which time they would snarl in a subdued tone at each other, but 

 never fight : nor did they on any occasion show any signs of quarrelsome- 

 ness or pugnacity, — I turnedafemale jackal amongst them, M^iich they ad- 

 mitted to share their den without the least sign of dissatisfaction. She lived 

 amongst them many months, but never showed any symptoms of breeding; 

 nor indeed did any of the Dogs amongst themselves, though there were 

 males and females. Three of the latter, at different times, came to 

 me enciente ; and, in the early part of February, produced from two to 

 four whelps ; in no instance more. The mothers licked them clean, and 

 then utterly deserted them, but in no instance devoured them. One of the 

 finest males I had broke loose, and, leaping a six-feet wall, attempted to 

 make off ; but being instantly apprised of the fact, I gave him chase with 

 greyhounds and horse. I shall mention his peculiar action by and bye, 

 and meanwhile shall only observe that, after a run of a mile, we suddenly 

 came up with him and found him quite dead ! The violent exertion after 

 long confinement, proved too much for him ; he broke his heart. All 

 my specimens refused dressed meat, and were fed with raw buffaloe beef. 

 Besides the grown animals, I procured one young one, in March, about 



