THE SPOTTED HY^NA 



When carrion is insufficient for its needs, and 

 flocks and herds are in its neighbourhood, it at 

 once turns its attention to them, and the stock 

 farmer has a bad time until he succeeds in killing it. 



The Spotted Hyaena has large massive teeth and 

 powerful jaws, enabling it to crush the hardest 

 bones to fine splinters with ease. In fact, it pos- 

 sesses stronger jaws and teeth than any other 

 living animal. 



This hyaena invariably attacks stock by first 

 tearing out the bowels with its terrible teeth, 

 which at .once cripples the animal, allowing it to 

 fall an easy prey. If a bull or stallion is bold 

 enough to show fight, the Spotted Hyaena at once 

 beats a retreat. Hunters, knowing its sneaking, 

 timid nature, usually hobble their horses, for, if 

 attacked by a hyaena and finding it impossible to 

 gallop off, the animals, in desperation, usually brace 

 themselves to do battle with their foe, and a spirited 

 horse is no mean antagonist, for he can use his 

 heels and teeth at times with great effect. 



A friend relates an instance of an attack on the 

 horses of himself and friends when hunting in the 

 Kalahari. The animals were hobbled, and were 

 quietly nibbling the sparse vegetation when a pair 

 of Spotted Hyaenas made a sudden rush from 

 behind a sandhill. The horses neighed shrilly in 

 the extremity of their terror, and two fell headlong 

 in their attempts to gallop away, but one wiry little 

 Basuto pony, quick as thought, wheeled and made 



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