262 AFRICAN GAME ANIMALS 



found to occur in any large series from any locality through- 

 out the distribution of this hyena and are to be regarded 

 simply as evidence of the variability of the race. 



It is difficult to define a race so variable as germinans 

 in color and proportions. The ground-color of the upper 

 parts ranges from a light-buff through ochraceous to tawny, 

 and occasionally a light-grayish cast also occurs, but the 

 usual ground-color may be said to be ochraceous-buff. 

 The dark spots are fairly numerous and large on the back 

 and occupy an area quite equal to the ground-color in 

 extent. A few large spots, two or three inches in diameter 

 and several times larger than the others, are usually pres- 

 ent on either side of the midline near the middle of the back. 

 The feet and lower part of the legs also show much varia- 

 tion, ranging in color from clove-brown to pale-buff. The 

 young and immature animals are dark-colored, with large 

 spots and dark feet, and are distinctly uniform in appear- 

 ance, giving no suggestion of the great variation which 

 occurs in the adult. Other races of the spotted hyena do 

 not appear to share this extensive color variation of ger- 

 minans, but have well-established color differences. The 

 eastern spotted hyena may usually be known from either 

 fisi or thomasi by the larger size of its dorsal spots, long 

 coat, and tawny or buffy coloration. From the Cape race 

 of South Africa it is distinguishable by its smaller body size 

 and narrower skull. 



An adult male from the Loita Plains had the following 

 flesh measurements: head and body, 50 inches; tail, 11 

 inches; hind foot, 9^2 inches; ear, 4^ inches. The great- 

 est length of the skull in this specimen was io}i inches. 

 The female averages greater than these dimensions some- 

 what, the largest specimen examined being a female 

 from the Loita Plains which has a skull length of 10^ 

 inches. Specimens have been examined in the National 

 Museum from the Loita and Kapiti Plains, Laikipia and 

 Uasin Gishu Plateaux, and the Kenia forest on the south 

 and west slopes of the mountain. The spotted hyena is 

 universally distributed from the coast as high as the moor- 

 land at ten thousand feet altitude, and is absent only from 

 the inner depths of forests and from the waterless desert 

 tracts. 



