desultory: sketches in natural history. 69 



and the H. crocuta, narrates Dr. Smith, unequivocally, are in the 

 habit of carrying bones to their wild retreats, and of employing 

 themselves in crushing them during the day. The captive indivi- 

 dual adverted to killed and devoured a young Dog, its companion. 



The Striped Hyjena 



(H, vulgaris, Desm. ; H. antiquorum, Temm. ; H. striata, Zimm.; 

 Canis hycena, of Linnaeus). 



Is the only existing member of the sub-family met with out of 

 Africa, being found from India to Abyssinia and Senegal, inclusive. 

 Bruce thought, however, that he could distinguish the Hyaena of 

 Syria from that of Barbary, by a more Dog-like muzzle. It is rea- 

 dily known by the distinct black stripes crossing the body and limbs, 

 and conspicuous thick mane continued along the whole spine ; a 

 great black space on the fore-neck, that recals to mind the Civets; 



Size, that of a large Dog, but shorter-bodied, or about four feet 

 four inches from snout to base of tail ; the tail eleven inches more, 

 or with its hair one foot five ; height at the shoulders two feet four, 

 and at the croup about three inches less.* Colour uniform pale 

 brownish- grey, or somewhat darker above than beneath, with irre- 

 gular black transverse stripes on the body and limbs, disposed 

 obliquely on the shoulders and haunches. Front of the neck, outside 

 of the ears, and muzzle black ; and a thick bushy mane, composed 

 of hairs from six to nine inches long (increasing in length back- 

 ward), and hanging over on each side, along the whole nape and 

 spine till lost in the tail-brush, and which is erected when the ani- 

 mal is threatening. The mane and tail both marked with blackish 



* Bruce mentions one that measured five feet nine inches from muzzle to 

 tail ; but none have been seen in Europe approaching those dimensions. He 

 must have meant the total length to the end of the tail-tuft, which just 

 agrees with the admeasurements above given, taken from a fine and well- 

 stufFed specimen, exceedingly well mounted, in the museum of the Zoologi- 

 cal Society. The dimensions above given by Bruce are copied from Cuvier*s 

 Ossemens Fossiles ; but we find, on reference to the Appendix to Bruce*s 

 Travels, which we had no opportunity of referring to when the above was 

 written, that that author specifies his admeasurement from nose to tail, in- 

 sisting much on the great size of a particular breed of Striped Hyaenas, of 

 which the specimen adverted to was an example, and which breed may yet 

 prove to be specifically different. 



