JACKAL (OF. jackal, jakal, Fr.. Sp. chacal, from Ar. jaqal, from Pers, shughiil. from Skt. srgaia, jackal). The common na me of a number of species of the genus Canis, abounding in Asia, Africa. and Southeastern Europe. They agree in all their most important characters with wolves and dogs (see CANID.E). although the form and tail are sontewhat fox-like. The head is narrow and the muzzle pointed. The ears are 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 inches in height at the shoulder. Their colors are huff and tawny, more or less grizzled; the tip of the tail is always dark. They make holes for themselves in the ground, or take possession of such as already exist among rocks or ruins; and in these they spend the day, not venturing abroad, as a rule. till the dusk of evening. They hunt during the night in troops. and their howlings are de scribed by all who have heard them as pecu liarly unpleasant. The notion that the jackal is the 'lion's provider' 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 net down, but any carrion that they may find. They follow armies; they dig up the ill-buried dead; they rob hen-roosts and outhouses: but they are as omnivorous as domestic dogs. and eat farinaecous or other vegetable food when it comes in their way; they are even said. like foxes. to enter
vineyards and devour the grape.. They have a very offensive smell, which. however. is said to diminish through domestication, and they are domesticated without difficulty. Everywhere jackals interbreed with native dogs, and doubt less they contributed essentially to the early stock. The foregoing applies especially to the 'common' jackal (Canis aurcusl. which is spread. with many variations, throughout the region from the Sudan to Afghanistan. India and Buena, and also is common on the plains of Greece and European Turkey. In Northern India it is known as 'pheal,' and in Southern India as ithalu,' and many weird stories are told of it and its relations to the tiger. The African variety is rather larger and grayer than the Asiatic.
The black-hacked jackel ur 'tenlie' ( ("anis nacso niclas) is a very distinct species, of bright colora tion. The sides and limbs are red to reddish yellow; the back and end of the tail are black. It is widely distributed throughout Eastern and Southern Africa, and its handsome fur is highly prized. A third African species, the side-striped jackal (('anis odusrus), called 'rubuyo' on the W est Coast. and 'candue' eastwardly, is widely scattered south of the equator, and differs front the others in having rather shorter and much darker ears. and the sides marked with one or more curving light bands, bordered with black- a feature, however, which is highly 'variable. Compare Doc, Fox, WOLF; and see Plate of FOXES AND JACKALS.