JACKAL (corrupted from Sp. and Fr. chacal), the common name of a number of species and varieties of the dog genus. abounding in ninny prrts of Asia and Africa. but not found in any of the other spinsters of the globe, except that one of the hinds extends into Greece. They agree in all their most important characters with wolves and dogs, and many naturalists suppose that some of the domestic varieties of clog are of jacal pa•ent age. The pupil of the eye is circular, as in the dog and wolf, although the form and tail arc somewhat fox-like. The bead is narrow, and the muzzle pointed. The ears 'ire erect, and rather large. The tail is not so long as in foxes, but is almost equally bushy. All the jackals are of small size, as compared with wolves. seldom exceeding 15 in. in height, at the shoulder. Their colors ore buff and tawny, more or less grizzled; the tip of the tail is always dark. They make holes for themselves in the ground by burrowing, or take possession of such as already exist rocks or ruins; and in these they spend the day, not venturing abroad till the dusk They hunt during the night in troops, and their howlings are described by all who have heard them as peculiarly horrible. The notion th..t the jackal is the lion's provider, and guides the royal beast to his prey, is one of the exploded fables of natural history, although it may have some foundation in the lion's occasionally following a troop of jackals in full cry, and appropriating " the lion's share." Jackals are not only ready to devour any
animal which they can run down, but any carrion which they may meet with. They follow armies; they dig tip the ill-buried dead; they rob hen-roosts and outhouses; hut they are as omnivorous as domestic dogs, eating farinaceous or other vegetable food when it conies iu their way; they are even said, like foxes, tc enter vineyards, and devour the grapes. They have a very offensive smell, which, however, is said to diminish through domestication, and they are domesticated without difficulty. The name of COMMON JACKAL is sometimes given to the species (canis comes) which is found in the western parts of Asia, and which is in general yellowish gray above, and whitish below, with yellow legs and thighs. But it is dOubted if this animal wits in ancient times plentiful, as it is now, in Syria and neighboring paks of Asia. It is thought not improbable that it may have followed the track of armies from the farther east. It is pretty certain that it has, in comparatively modern times, become common in parts of Asia more northern than it formerly inhabited. It is not improbable, however, that it is included under the name for in the Hebrew Scriptures.