File:Image from page 606 of "Cassell's natural history" (1896) (20515297076).jpg

Title: Cassell's natural history Identifier: cassellsnaturalh01dunc Year: 1896 (1890s) Authors: Duncan, P. Martin (Peter Martin), 1821-1891; Metcalf Collection (North Carolina State University). NCRS Subjects: Animals; Animal behavior Publisher: London [etc Cassell & Company, Limited] Contributing Library: NCSU Libraries Digitizing Sponsor: NCSU Libraries

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Text Appearing Before Image: THE JACKAL.

Text Appearing After Image: COYOTE, OK rRAIltlE WOLF, Wolf. The ears are short, erect, and roundish, white anteriorly and brown behind. The tail is bushy, and is clothed, like the body, with wool and long hair. Some specimens want the brown tints, and have most of the grey colour."* The length of body and head together amounts to about three feet; that of the tail about fourteen or fifteen inches. The Red Wolf (Canis jubatus) of Brazil shows considerable resemblance both to the Jackals and to the Foxes. It has long, slender legs, a sknder snout, long ears, and stifl', shaggy, reddish hair, raised into a mane along the neck. THE JACKAL.f Next to the Wolf, the Jackal is the most important wild member of the Dog tribe. It is a much smaller animal than the Wolf, not excesding thirty inches in length, and seventeen in height at the shoulder. It is also distinguLshed from Wolves and true Dogs by its curious, long i.iiiit:Ml muzzle. Its fiir is of a dusky-yellowish coloui-—whence its name of " Loup dore," or gilded Woli', and its specific appellation aureus—"the hairs being mottled black, grey, and brown, with the uiidn- fur brownish- yellow, the lower parts yellowish-grey, tail reddish-brown, ending in a darkish tuft." There is a good deal of variation from this colour, depending partly on the time of year, partly on the locality. Tlie Jackal is a cowardly animal, blessed with a most evil smell and with a voi-acious appetite. It lives largely upon carrion, a good deal of which it gets as a sort of " perquisite " from the remains of the Lion's fea-st. It is sometimes called " the Lion's provider," a name which " may have arisen from the notion that the yell of the pack gives notice to the Lion that prey is on foot, or from the Jackals being seen to feed on the remnants of the Lion's quarry." Dr. Jerdon says, " it is a very useful scavenger, cleai-ing away all garbage and carrion from the neighbourhood of Cape Town^ but occasionally committing depredations among poultry and other domestic animals. Sickly Sheep and Goats usually fall a prey to him; and a wounded Antelope is pretty certain to be tracked and hunted to death by .Jackals. They will, however^ partake freely of vegetable food." * Kichardson. t Canis aureus.

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