454 AARD- WOLF 



Minor and Syria to northern and eastern Africa. In Somaliland, at 

 any rate, the African representative of the species is longer-haired than 

 its Indian relative. According to Dr. P. Matschie {Sitzungs-Berichte 

 Ges. Naturfor. Berliti., 1900, p. 53), the African striped hyaena may be 

 divided into three local races, namely, Hycena striata suilla of southern 

 Tunisia, H. s. Jiienomelas of Abyssinia and probably Somaliland, and 

 H. s. schillingsi of Kilimanjaro and the neighbouring districts of East 

 Africa. All are, however, very close to one another, so that it scarcely 

 seems worth while to give their distinctive characters. 



Unlike the spotted hyaena, the present species seems to be solitary 

 in its habits, and it is rare that more than two are seen in company. 

 It is also a less noisy animal, its cry being much less frequently heard 

 than is that of the former ; neither are the cries of the two identical, 

 although there is a certain similarity between them, and both are 

 equally hideous. 



THE AARD-WOLF 



{Proteles cristatiis) i 



Aard-Wolf, OR MaanJiaar Jackal, Cape DUTCH 

 (Plate xv, fig. 7) 



A very brief notice must suffice for this animal, which may be 

 compared to a small and rather thin striped hyaena, with proportion- 

 ately longer ears, a more pointed muzzle, and remarkably weak teeth. 

 It has also five, instead of four, front-toes ; and it is chiefly owing to 

 this feature and the peculiar characters of the teeth that the animal is 

 assigned to a family (^ProteleidcB) apart from the hyaenas. Possibly it 

 should be regarded as an abnormal member of the civet family 

 ( Viverridce), which, perhaps for the purpose of escaping attack, has 

 *' mimicked " the striped hyaena. Standing from 18 to 20 inches at 

 the shoulder, the aard-wolf (or burrowing wolf) has a long handsomely 

 coloured coat, striped with dark transverse bands on a light ground, 

 and an upright mane ; the legs being similarly but more scantily 

 barred, and the tail thick and busy. By the Bechuanas the skin is 

 held in much estimation, especially as it lacks the disagreeable odour 

 attaching to hyaena-pelts. 



For a long time the aard-wolf was supposed to be confined to 

 South Africa, but it is now known to range along the west side of the 

 continent as far north as Angola, and on the opposite border into 



