THE NATURALIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 1891, 1 May 1890, Page 35

THE NATURALIST.

THE WILD DOG OF INDIA. 1 _ A correspondent signing himself " Shikari " gives an interesting description in Land and Water of the native dog of India. He says :— The general colour is a bright rusty red or rufous fawn, paler beneath ; tail moderately brushed, reaching to the heels, usually tipped blackish; limbs strong, body lengthened; head and body 32in to 33in ; tail about 16in ; height, 17in to 20in. They generally hunt in packs of from five to 20, and appear to run by scent as well as sight, and are nearly mute, except an occasional low whimper. Such is their speed, strength, and persevering endurance that they are all formidable enemies to the deer tribe, and they will run down and kill even such large animals as the sambur (Rusa aristotelis) and nilghau (Portax pictus), their usual mode of attack being snapping and tearing at their victim's belly and flanks till they tear them open, and the entrails protrude. They exhibit but little fear of man, and many are the instances recorded of their calmly fitting down and staring at the sportsman who has met them. I have personally several times come across these jungle poachers, but never bagged one, as, with one exception, I did not fire at them, for fear of disturbing the jungle. I need not have had such scruples, however, for I invariably found the jungle that harboured them was deserted by all nobler game. I was once a spectator of their mode of hunting. I was out one hot weather in Berar, and, during a morning stroll, my attention was attracted by a low whimper. Looking in the direction from which the sound emanated, I saw a little four-horned antelope (Tetraceros quadricornis) defending itself against two wild dogs. The little antelope would make a short run, and then pull up facing its assailants, one of whom would make a snapping feint at it in front, whilst the other made snatches at the antelop's flanks and quarters from the rear. The little antelope displayed wonderful agility, bounding round and round, and evading its tormentors. This went on for some little time, till I put an end to the entertainment by firing at one of the dogs — which, alas! I missed. The two dogs looked towards me, and then trotted sulkily ofE, whilst the antelope disappeared in the opposite direction. A friend who was with me shot two of these wild dogs a few days later, and so I had an opportunity, of examining them closely, and very handsome brutes they were. We had reliable news of tigers in this bit of jingle, but never came accross them, which strengthened me in my belief that Ouon rutilans had something to say to their absence. A writer in the South of India Observer a few years ago gave a graphic description of j a sight witnessed by a friend of his in the Wynaad jungle. He says: — "My friend j was passing through a jungle in the Wynaad; j when he heard close to him a curious snapping noise. He fancied it was parakeets, or some such birds, having a row among themselves ; but on taking a few steps forward, to his no small astonishment, he found himself in presence of a tiger, surrounded by a pack of wild dogs, snapping and snarling at him, but at the same time keeping well out of reach of the terrible forepaw. The tiger was lashing his tail from side to side and showing great excitement, or, as I feel inclined to put it, "funk." He was standing with his back to the new arrival, and consequently did not see him ; but as he was not more than 30 yards distant, my friend wisely decided on beating a retreat, shortly returning, however, with some of his frierds, when they found the tiger had disappeared, but the pack of wild dogs feasting on a sambur, fresh killed by the tiger. There was no mistake about this, for the marks of the tiger's teeth were distinctly visible in the throat of the deer. Ten dogs were counted, but there might have been, and probably were, more. This is certainly a proof that wild dogs will attack a tiger, not for the purpose of killing him, but to drive him away from his prey. Though the wild dog does not throw his tongue when in chase, beyond giving a low, tremulous whimper, yet he will bark and howl at night, as most sportsmen who have shikared in the East know full well. By no means a shy animal, he is at times even bold and saucy in his demeanour. As a dog he is decidedly handsome, and as good looking as the best colley, but, from a sportsman's point of view, he is a decided scourge, and we may rest assured that, looked at even from the most favourable point of view, he is beyond all doubt a most destructive poacher, and does infinite harm, not only by the numbers of game he kills, but by the" numbers he scares away. My parting advice, therefore, to all sportsmen is to slay Cuon rutilans without compunction wherever they may meet him, and by any means, whenever they have the chance. Supposed Ventriloquism in Bieds. — While looking at some jackdaws in a bird shop the other day, I was somewhat surprised in noticing that, as one of the birds was continually uttering its cry, some of the sounds appeared to proceed from behind my j shoulder, and the illusion of the cries seeming to come from that quarter was very perfect. Perhaps some of your readers may think that someone behind me was imitating: the bird's note, hut this was certainly not the case. I have read in White's " Natural History of Selborne" of the grasshopper warbler (Locustella nasvia) possessing the power of causing its notes to appear quite close when in reality the bird is at some distance, hut have never heard of any bird but this having this peculiarity.— F. P. Peeks. [The illusion depends on the alteration in the pitch or tone of the note. The most skilled ventriloquist possesses no power of making the voice come from any part of a room, but only of making the auditors believe it does. The ear is a very imperfect judge of the direction from whence sound proceeds.—Ed.]—Field.