MAMMALIA-HYjENA. 



161 



but, according to Kaempfer, who was an ear-witness of the fact, it sounds 

 like the lowing of a calf. When at a loss for other prey, it scrapes up the 

 earth with its feet, and devours the carcasses both of animals and men, 

 which, in the countries that it inhabits, are interred promiscuously in the 

 fields. 



THE SPOTTED HYJENA.' 



This animal is a native of Southern Africa, and abounds in the neighbor- 

 hood of the Cape of Good Hope, where it is called the tiger wolf. It is 

 somewhat inferior in size to the striped hyssna, but, in its wild state, has 

 the same manners and propensities. Its short muzzle is less abruptly 

 truncated, and its ears, short and broad in form, are of a nearly o^iadrilateral 

 figure. The. general color of the hide is a dirty yellow, or yellowish brown, 

 and the whole body is covered with spots of a blackish brown, excepting 

 the under part of the belly and of the breast, the inner surface of the limbs 

 and the head. The muzzle is black, and the tail covered with long bushy 

 hair of a blackish brown. Like the striped hyaena, the spotted species has 

 jaws of enormous strength, with which it easily breaks to pieces the hard- 

 est bones. 



It is a common but erroneous idea, that the hyaena is" wholly savage and 

 untamable. Both species have been tamed, and instances are recorded of 

 individuals having manifested all the attachment of a dog. The striped 

 hyaena has recently been domesticated in the Cape territory, and is consider- 

 ed one of the best hunters after game, and as faithful and diligent as any 

 of the common domestic dogs. The truth is, that the hyaena has a very 



1 II. capensis, Depm. 



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