CHAPTER VIII 



THE SPOTTED HYENA, STRIPED HYENA, AND 

 HUNTING DOG 



Introduction to Family Hyanida 



Hyenas 

 The hyenas are at once recognizable by the pecuHarlty 

 of their body shape, which is decidedly high-withered, fall- 

 ing away rapidly toward the hips which are supported 

 by very short, weak hind legs. The head is somewhat en- 

 larged but short-jawed and armed with heavy, conical, 

 crushing teeth. The teeth of the hyenas are highly spe- 

 cialized for crushing bones, and for this purpose some of 

 the cheek-teeth have developed into stout, rounded, conical 

 cusps of great strength. The canine teeth are much smaller 

 than in either the dogs or the cats, being more fitted for 

 crushing than for tearing flesh or for grasping prey. In 

 order to make this formidable dental apparatus of great 

 crushing value the jaws are armed with enormous muscles, 

 the bulk of which find attachment on the high median dor- 

 sal crest of the back part of the skull. The development of 

 this bony sagittal crest is greater than in any of the other 

 carnivores and furnishes one of the marked distinguish- 

 ing features of the skull, which otherwise closely resembles 

 that of the cats. The feet are four-toed and furnished by 

 stout, non-retractile canine claws. Large anal glands or 

 sacks are present, and the testes are internal, but beyond 

 this similarity there are marked differences in the sexual 



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