HYAENAS 



411 



closed by bone. The Suricate lives in caves and i(jck crevices, 

 and will dig l)urrows. It is distinctly a diurnal animal, and sits 

 iipon its hind-legs after the fashion of a Marmot. As Buffbn 

 noticed in a tame specimen (thought by him to be a native of 

 Surinam), the animal barks like a dog. The Suricate is largely 

 vegetarian, living upon roots. 



Fig. 203. — Suricate. Svriruta tctradactijhx. x |. 



Fam, 4. Hyaenidae. — Unlike though the Hyaenas appear to 

 be to the last family — mainly perhaps on account of size — they 

 are, nevertheless, very nearly akin to them, more so than to the Cat 

 tribe. It will be remembered that the striping and spotting of 

 the Hyaenas is very Genet- and Suricate-like. 



There are admittedly two genera among tlie Hyaenidae, 

 Hyaena itself with three species,^ and the Aard Wolf, Prntclcs, with 

 Init one. But Dr. Mivart considers that the Spotted Hyaena should 

 form a genus apart, Crocnta — a proceeding which was initiated 

 by the late Dr. (Iray of the British Museum. The Hyaenidae 

 are to Ije distinguished by tlie following characters : — There are 

 generally four toes, always so in the hind-foot. The claws are 

 non-retractile. The nose and upper lip are grooved. The molar 

 formula is Pm 4. M \. The soles of the feet are covered with 

 hairs upon the tarsus and metatarsus. No scent glands. 

 Tidl short. Dorsal vertebr;ie more numerous tlian in other 

 Aeluroids, i.r. fifteen. The bulla is divided l)y a, rudimentary 

 septum only. 



' For the anatomy of Hyaenas see ^lorrison "Watson in Proc. Zool. S'lic. 1877, 

 p. 369 ; 1878, ]k 416 ; and 1879, ]). 79. 



