NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



strong and active in the lion, tiger, and most others 

 of the cat tribe, is small and inactive in the Spotted 

 Hyaena. If the brain of one of these animals and 

 that of a lion or tiger be compared, it will be ob- 

 served that the area claimed by phrenologists to 

 be the brain centre which gives rise to aggressive- 

 ness and brute courage generally is large and convex 

 in these cats, and comparatively small in the hyaena. 

 The Spotted Hyaena is doomed to extinction in 

 South Africa in the not distant future. Its mission as 

 one of Nature's scavengers is at an end. Civilised 

 man has no need for it, for his advanced powers of 

 intellect have devised better ways and means of ren- 

 dering harmless all insanitary matter, than allowing 

 it to be eaten up by these skulking scavengers. In 

 the northern parts of South Africa the battle is at 

 its height, and before the hyaena is finally vanquished 

 considerable numbers of domestic animals will fall 

 victims to it, for, lacking carrion which is its natural 

 food, and driven by the pangs of hunger, it takes 

 every opportunity of devouring the stock of the 

 farmer. In the struggle for existence animals, as 

 well as man, change their habits and ways to a re- 

 markable degree, and the Spotted Hyaena is no 

 exception. 



In general bulk the Spotted Hyaena is not unlike 

 an adult mastiff dog, but it is very different in shape. 

 The body is massive and bulky in front, tapering 

 off towards the hindquarters, which are about four 

 inches lower than the shoulders. The fur is woolly 



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