CHAPTER VIII. 



THE AARD-WOLF AND THE HYAENAS. 



THE FAMILY PROTELID^ — THE AARD-WOLF — THE FAMILY HY^NID.-E — FABLES AND SUPERSTITIONi 

 ABOUT THE HY>ENA — THE STRIPED HY.'ENA — TWO TAME ONES — THE BROWN HY>ENA — TH3 

 SPOTTED HY^NA OR TIGER-WOLF — RAPACITY OF THIS SPECIES — ITS HORRID LAUGHTER. 



THE family Protelid.e is limited to o>ic genus and one species, 

 which is found only in South Africa. 

 The Aard-wolf, Proiclcs cristatus (Plate XI 11), is a highly 

 modified form of the hyjena, and seems to form a link between that family 

 and the civet-cats. Some naturalists, indeed, have called it the Civet-hya^na, 

 but it is usually known by the appellation bestowed upon it by the Dutch 

 colonists of the Cape of Good Hope. It is much smaller than the hyasnas, 

 and larger than the civets ; in appearance it bears a striking resemblance 

 to the striped-hya;na, possessing the same powerful and well developed 

 fore-quarters with the low sloping hind-quarters, and coarse rough fur; 

 the tail is very large in proportion to the animal's body, and covered 

 with thick bushy hair which is black at the tip of the tail ; like the hyama 

 it has a thick bristling mane on the back of the neck and shoulders, and 

 it can erect this hirsute appendage when excited. Its ears, however, are 

 larger than those of the hyaena, and its fore-feet are armed with powerful 

 claws, the thumb being, as in dogs, very slightly developed. The Aard- 

 wolf attains the length of about three feet and a half, including the tail, 

 which measures about one foot. The fur consists of a soft woolly coat- 

 ing, through which the stiff rough hairs grow, and it is marked with black 

 vertical stripes on a dull yellow ground ; the head is chiefly black, the 

 mane is black and 3'ellow mixed. 



The Aard-wolf is nocturnal in its habits, and passes the day in a 

 burrow which it digs skillfully with its powerful claws. From this prac. 

 tice of burrowing it derives its DutcV. name, which means Earth-wolf. 



