Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-31
MASTERLESS PACKS.
Wild Dogs Of Africa Which Unite to
Hunt and Kill.
From Baily's Magazine.

From Bailys Magazine.
Hunting where and in whatever coun-
try he likes, without leave or license.
the Cape hunting dog or wild honden Of
the Beers becomes a terror to the game
in the country he hunts not only on
account of the bucks he destroys. but be-
cause he keeps all the game in the dis
trict in a state of unrest.
He is admirably endowed by nature
with all the necessary qualifications to
enable him to find. hunt and kill his
own quarry without help. Once afoot
with his game kill becomes almost an
absolute certainty.
He stands twenty-five to twent-seven
inches high. with good galloping quar-
tiers, rather long but very muscular legs.
with strong feet and toes; the cars are
very large and erect. beautifully formed
to catch the faintest sound when work.
ing in thick "overts. Added to this he
has a very keen sense of smell.
The jaws are wonderfully strong, with
beautiful white teeth: they can break
bones which few animals except the
hyena could crack, and the strength of
the latter's jaws and teeth is proven
bal.
Their mode Of hunting is very clever
Having found and started a buck, some
or the neeleSl dogs SdllOp loTWdTu dHedO
of the main pack. keeping on either side
to prevent the buck turning and doubling
back. AS these dogs tire they fall back
and others take up the running in their
place. When the quarry tires the pack
closes in and all their energy is devoted
to killing by tearing out the viscera.
Some writer's say the pack takes the
form of chescent when running their
prey, gradually closing in as the game
tires. All agree that the short time taken
h,,. iS Gil ma
velous, a quarter OF an hour being the
estimated time in hunting. killing and
consuming a buck under ordinary Cir
cumStances.
to what food he shall take. but he levies
toll on any sort of buck or antelope he
finds handy. Gnu. sable and waterbuck
are said to be his favorite food. but he
when pressed for food. Needless to
say, when attacking a powerful animal
like this some Of the dogs meet with
a sudden death, and these are consumed
by the surviving members. They always
seem ravenouS for food and their appe-
titles nearly Unsuitable There does not
seem to be any record Of their having
attacked a white man.
The Cape hunting dog is sometimes
called the hyena dog on account of his
likeness to the hyena. The likeness,
however. is only superficial and the fact
that he runs down and kills his prey
in a sporting manner entities him to a
small share Of our respect, which a scav-
enger like the hyena could never COM
mand.
Packs range from fifteen to forty in
number. The note is bell-lille and rather
musical One writer, Sir Andrew Smith,
likens it to a "Ho-ho-ho-ho' sound. tend
ing to run one into the other. 1t is a
moot point as to whether they ever bark
in the ordinary way.
The Cape hunting dog seems inca pable
of thorough domestcation. They have
been crossed with other dogs. but the
result has never been satisfactory: the
young retain the treacherous nature of
the wild parent. The hunting dog is
numerous in East Africa, and most
sporting parties account for Il few.