THE AARD WOLF 



413 



of the organs of reproduction have led to the belief that a Hyaena 

 changes its sex every year. Its almost human-sounding howls 

 are supposed to be a deliberate trap for the unwary traveller. 

 There is also a legend that in the eye of the Hyaena is a stone 

 which if placed under the tongue of a man endows him with the 

 gift of prophecy. 



Proteles presents many resemblances to the Hyaenas, but also 

 certain differences ; by many it is placed in a separate family. 

 There is but one species, P. cristata, the Aard Wolf of South 

 Africa. In outward aspect it is very Hyaena-like, the coat being 

 striped, and the ears, though longer, resembling those of a Hyaena. 

 There is also a mane. There are, however, five toes on the fore- 

 feet. The teeth are feebler, particularly the molars, which 

 are also reduced in number. The skull, as in Hyaena, has no 

 alisphenoid canal, but the bulla tympani is divided by a 

 septum. The animal seems to feed largely upon insects, 

 particularly Termites, and also upon carrion. 1 



Of extinct Hyaenoids Ictitherium seems to be transitional 

 between them and the Viverridae. Its dentition, |, \, |, ^, is 

 that of a Yiverrid, and the feet are five -toed. The upper 

 carnassial tooth, however, is like that of Hyaena in having a 

 strong inner cusp. Other extinct genera of Hyaenas are Lycyaena 

 and Hyaenictis. The genus Hyaena itself goes back as far as 

 to the Miocene, and occurred in Europe until the Pleistocene. 

 The Cave Hyaena of this country seems to be indistinguishable 

 from Crocuta maculata, though it has received the name of H. 

 spelaea. 



Fam. 5. Canidae.' This family cannot be .divided into more 

 than five genera, and is universally distributed with the exception 

 of New Zealand. The auditory bulla is smooth and rounded, and 

 has internally a very incomplete septum, extending through about 

 one-fourth or one-third of the cavity. The meatus has a fairly 

 prominent under lip. The paroccipital process is long and promi- 

 nent. The mastoid is distinct, though but slightly developed. 

 The glenoid foramen is large; the condyloid foramen is con- 

 spicuous, and the carotid canal is deep within the foramen 

 lacerum posterius. The last three characters are Bear-like ; the 



1 Flower, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869, p. 457. 



2 For a general account of the Canidae see Mivart, A Monograph of the Canidae, 

 London, 1890. 



