NOTES ON SNAKES IN EAST AFRICA 
315 
Jackal . — Hardly game in the full meaning of the word, but 
still a game little beast and, so, worthy of a note. 
The first outbreak of any disease that I noticed amongst 
the jackal was in 1906, when distemper broke out, and swept 
the whole country east of the Kikuyu Escarpment. The jackal 
died by the hundred and soon became a rare animal ; while 
even the ‘ pie-dogs ’ of Nairobi suffered, and most of them 
died. The old warriors of all ages went as quickly as the pups. 
This was, I think, the first outbreak of distemper in British 
East Africa. I could get no proof that the hunting-dogs or 
hyenas died, but for some few years they certainly appeared 
to be much scarcer. 
A year or two later the disease spread into the Rift Valley, 
where again the jackal died and the Wandorobo lost all their 
little hunting- dogs. Since then several outbreaks of disease 
have occurred — the latest being in Laikipia, where the jackal 
seemed to die off. In this case no signs of distemper were 
seen amongst dogs, nor did any of the jackal show signs of 
rabies — a disease which apparently affects them. For, every 
few years, one hears of the jackal either attacking man in a 
strange way, or inviting their own death by wandering into 
farms unconcernedly in broad daylight. Though I know of 
several cases of natives and dogs having been bitten, I have 
never heard of any further development. 
NOTES ON SNAKES IN EAST AFRICA 
By A. Lqveridge 
Pleasant memories of chasing grass-snakes along English 
hedgerows, of smooth snakes on the Dorset heaths, or adders 
midst bracken and gorse of Welsh mountains are not effaced 
by three years’ gadding about in East Africa with its greater 
variety and more dangerous serpent-life. 
Indeed, one is prone to think that the former provided 
better sport. At any rate one could pounce more whole- 
heartedly upon a grass-snake ; probably, however, it is only 
