CANIS. 
In Ab}’ssinia, tliese animals are nearly 
equally active and bold by day and night. 
They abound in every part, and are scarcely 
less numerous even than sheep. Mr. Bruce 
complains of their being the plague of his 
life in that country, the terror of his night- 
walks, and the destruction of his mules and 
asses, which were, with them, a favourite 
food. One night, having, for a moment, 
quitted his tent, where he had previously 
heard some noise within it, the cause of 
which, however, he was unable to discover, 
and had ceased to think of, he observed on 
his return, in the dar^, two large blue eyes, 
most fixedly glaring on him. A light being 
speedily brought, he discovered near the 
head of his bed a hyaena, with several bun- 
dles of candles in his mouth. Mr. Bruce 
immediately struck at him with a long pike, 
which penetrated completely through him, 
near his heart. The animal no sooner felt 
tlie smarting of the wound, than he ap- 
peared animated by the most fierce and 
desperate vengeance, and strove actually 
to climb up the shaft qf the pike to reach 
his destroyer. The servant, however, cleft 
his head asunder with a battle-axe. Plate 
VI. fig. 1. 
C. aureirs, tlie jackal. In the warm 
latitudes of Asia and Africa these animals 
abound, and no where more than in Bar- 
bary. The jackal is of a light yellow co- 
lour, witli black shades about the back and 
legs ; and about the size of a middling dog. 
In its excursions, which are chiefly during 
night, it commits promiscuous ravage among 
the more defenceless animals, though vege- 
tables are sometimes used for food by it. 
Jackals frequently assemble in large droves 
or troops, even so numerous as two hun- 
dred, and hunt die vast herds of deer or 
antelopes which abound in these regions, 
sounding the most horrid yells, and pursu- 
ing their prey till it sinks under the exhaus- 
tion of fatigue and terror. The feast of the 
jackals, however, is generally intercepted, 
or at least delayed, by the appearance of 
the lion, who roused by their sounds, and 
aware that they are preparing a banquet 
which he may enjoy at his leisure, follows 
their footsteps. While he gratifies his ap- 
petite these humble and trembling purvey- 
ors await at a distance the moment when 
the lord of the forest shall have completed 
his repast, and they may safely approach to 
devour the mutilated remains he was un- 
able to dispose of. 
It is supposed by some judicious and sa- 
gacious naturalists, that the jackgl is the 
real origin of the dog. In the structure of 
the short intestine called the caecum, they 
both agree, and their instinct and manners 
are extremely similar. They both are fond 
of the society of man, and approach on 
being called by their names. The jackal is 
easily tamed, and shows an attachment to 
dogs ; it fawns on its owner, and exhibits all 
those indications of joy, sportiveness, and 
gratitude, which characterize the dog. The 
jackal and the dog also readily inter- 
mix. The wolf and the fox naturally shun 
mankind. The native regions of the wolf 
also are those of extreme cold, which do 
not suit the dog ; and the construction of 
some of the intestines of the .fox is ex- 
tremely different from those answering si- 
milar purposes in dogs. The different times 
of gestation, however, in the jackal, and 
in the dog, appears no slight objection 
to the theory tlius advocated. Plate VI. 
fig. 3. 
C. vulpes, the fox. This animal is gene- 
rally of a yellowish brown colour, with its 
tail straight, bushy, and tipped w ith white, 
from the base of wdiich it emits a rank and 
fetid odour. The skill of the fox in the 
construction of its mansion ranks it among 
the higher order of quadrupeds. He bur- 
rows under firm earth, and often where the 
roof of his dwelling is prevented from fall- 
ing in by the wattling of the roots of trees. 
His subterraneous residence is generally ex- 
tensive, and he provides to it several ave- 
nues for his convenience or security. Thus, 
instead of being a houseless vagrant, he 
possesses all the ideas and comforts which 
attach to a home, and which are justly sup- 
posed to imply superior sentiment and in- 
telligence. 
The fox is not unfrequently observed, in 
fine weather, to quit his retreat, and bask 
at his full length in the sup. His ravages 
are reserved for the night, and are gene- 
rally committed at a distance from his 
home. He destroys for his food various spe- 
cies of vermin. Poultry and young lambs 
very frequently fall under his power, w'here 
he has secure access to them. The dung 
of other animals, berries, snails, frogs, and 
insects, are sometimes taken by him. Of 
grapes he is proverbially fond, and the 
vineyar ds suffer very considerably from his 
depredations. He wastes or destroys far 
more than he devours, often hiding large 
quantities of his prey in tlrickets, or be- 
neath the roots of trees. His sagacity to 
discern his prey and his enemies is extra- 
ordinary. Iir Palestine, foxes certaii.ly 
F 2 
