NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



an eatable nature cast up by the tide, such as crabs, 

 dead fish, stranded penguins, seals, whales, &c., 

 the bodies of which would otherwise putrefy and 

 taint both water and air, and thus be prejudicial 

 to other forms of life. If carrion is abundant the 

 hyaena will not trouble trying to obtain other food, 

 but this class of food cannot be depended on, so 

 the Strand Wolf supplements his natural diet with 

 small mammals, reptiles, the young and eggs of 

 ground-frequenting birds, and insects. 



However, like others of its tribe, including the 

 wolves and jackals, it does not recognise the right 

 of the humanfolk to keep flocks and herds of 

 animals to themselves, so, when chance offers it 

 levies heavy toll upon them, therefore the hyaena 

 and man cannot live in proximity. When civilised 

 man makes his advent, the scavenging services of 

 the hyaena are no longer needed. Like others of 

 its kind the Brown Hyaena is a cunning, secretive, 

 and cowardly animal, hiding away in some secure 

 retreat during the daytime, and venturing forth 

 at night, except in remote districts far from the 

 haunts of man, where it roams about in quest of 

 food both day and night, with intervals of rest. 

 The two main factors in determining the habits 

 of animals are the presence of enemies, and a food 

 supply. Should enemies be most numerous during 

 the daylight hours, the tendency is to develop 

 nocturnal habits : and again, apart from the dread 

 of enemies, an animal, finding that other creatures 



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