THE HYENA AND THE HUNTING DOG 253 



Striped Hyena 



Hyana 



The genus Hycena has at the present time two Hving 

 species, the striped hyena of North Africa and Asia and 

 the brown hyena or strand-wolf of southwest Africa. In 

 former times, however, the genus was much more widely 

 distributed, as evidenced by the several fossil species which 

 have been found in the Pliocene and Pleistocene beds of 

 southern Europe and Asia. The striped hyena is readily 

 recognizable by the long dorsal mane, which extends from 

 the head along the nape and over the back to the tail, and 

 by the blackish transverse stripes on the body and legs. In 

 coloration, body shape, and general appearance it is mi- 

 nutely imitated by the aardwolf, a somewhat smaller car- 

 nivorous mammal having rudimentary teeth and an insec- 

 tivorous diet. In the east equatorial regions of Africa the 

 two animals share the same territory. The close resem- 

 blance in color pattern appears to be purely an accidental 

 affair and not a case of mimicry. The dentition of the 

 striped hyena is less reduced than that of the spotted 

 genus, the upper molar being well developed and func- 

 tional, and the lower carnassial tooth has a long heel behind 

 which opposes the molar when the jaws are closed and is 

 functional during mastication. The female sexual organs 

 are quite normal in structure, and the relative body size of 

 the two sexes is that usual among carnivores, the female 

 being somewhat less in size than the male. No sexual 

 color differences are apparent. In German and British 

 East Africa the striped hyena reaches its southern limit 

 of distribution and is there represented by two races, a 

 highland form and a low desert form. 



This hyena was not uncommon in certain parts of East 

 Africa, but we never saw it abroad in the daytime, and 

 only caught it in traps. It seemed more nocturnal, shyer, 

 and less bold and ferocious than its big, spotted brother. 

 There are spotted, striped, and brown hyenas. Their hab- 

 its are all substantially alike, and their ranges overlap. In 



