Page:The mammals of Australia Gould vol 3.djvu/218

 Mount Macedon, by Mr. Selwyn, the Geological Surveyor of Victoria. This skull, according to the authority of Professor M'Coy, is identical with that of the Dingo of the present day.

"An article to this effect was published by the learned Professor in the 'Argus' of 1857; but as it is not in my power to consult a file of this Journal, I am unable to furnish any further particulars.

"All the specimens of the Dingo procured by me during my stay at the Lower Murray were distinguished by a white tip at the extremity of the tail, and among the 'trophies' which so generally ornament shepherds' huts in Australia, I do not recollect to have seen a single tail without the white tip.

"The black variety is more scarce; the single specimen which I secured was a young bitch, quite black, except the inside of the fore legs and paws and the outside of the hind legs and paws, which were of a tan-colour. The head was more pointed than in the yellow variety, and had a distinct patch of white, about the size of a shilling, on each cheek.

"I made a drawing of the animal on the spot, and another one of the head, life size; both sketches are now, I trust, in the hands of Professor M'Coy. This dog had been prowling about Jamieson's Station for several nights; it fell at last a victim to strychnine, and I secured its skin."

During my wanderings in Australia I saw much of the Dingo in a state of nature, and can hear testimony to its great tenacity of life and the consequent difficulty of destroying it. I also witnessed the destructive nature of its habits in various ways, particularly its mode of "rushing" the sheep-fold, when it not only wantonly kills great numbers, but scatters the remainder to such an extent as almost to occasion the loss of the entire flock. It is not altogether for the purpose of supplying the cravings of hunger that the Dingo visits the sheep-pen, but in mere wantonness, dealing out his vengeance right and left with a single bite, which, although not fatal at the moment, the sheep seldom recovers, but lingers and soon dies. Mr. Gilbert states that its more usual mode of attack is to follow a flock of sheep, and when a lamb drops behind to immediately pounce upon and carry it off; and Collins mentions that such is its invincible predilection for poultry, that not even the severest beatings can repress it.

"The Dingos, or native dogs, 'Warragal' of the Aborigines," says Dr. Bennett, "are the wolves of the colony, and are perhaps unequalled for cunning. These animals breed in the holes of rocks: a litter was found near Yas Plains, which the discoverer failed to destroy, thinking to return and catch the mother also, and thus exterminate the whole family; but the 'old lady' must have been watching him, for on his returning a short time after, he found all the little dingos had been carried away, and be was never able, although diligent search was made in the vicinity, to discover their place of removal. The cunning displayed by these animals, and the agony they can endure without evincing the usual effects of pain, would seem almost incredible, had it not been related by those on whose testimony every dependence can be placed. The following are a few among a number of extraordinary instances. One had been beaten so severely, that it was supposed all the bones were broken, and it was left for dead. Upon the person accidentally looking back, after having walked some distance, his surprise was much excited by seeing 'master dingo rise, shake himself, and march into the bush, evading all pursuit. One supposed to be dead was brought into a hut, for the purpose of undergoing 'decortication;' at the commencement of the skinning process upon the face, the only perceptible movement was a slight quivering of the lips, which was regarded at the time as merely muscular irritability: the man, after skinning a very small portion, left the hut to sharpen his knife, and returning, found the animal sitting up, with the flayed integument hanging over one side of the face. Another instance was that of a settler, who, returning from a sporting exhibition with six kangaroo dogs, met with a dingo which was attacked by the dogs and worried to such a degree, that finding matters becoming serious, and that the worst of the sport came to his share, the cunning dingo pretended to be dead; thinking he had departed the way of all dogs, they gave him a parting shake and left him. Unfortunately for the poor dingo, he was of an impatient disposition, and was consequently premature in his resurrection; for before the settler and his dogs had gone any distance, he was seen to rise and skulk away, but at a slow pace, on account of the rough treatment he had received; the dogs soon re-attacked him, when he was handled in a manner that must have effectually prevented any resuscitation taking place a second time. The Dingo, like all dogs in a state of nature, never barks, but simply whines, howls, and growls, the explosive noise being only found among the dogs which are domesticated."

I cannot conclude this paper without stating that the Dingo affords considerable exercise and amusement to the Nimrods of Australia, who hunt it precisely as the fox is hunted in England, and for which it forms no mean substitute.

The size of the Dingo is about that of the English Fox-hound, but it is much lower on the legs. The accompanying Plates represent the head of the natural size, and the whole animal reduced.