NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK HOLLISTER, 563 



One of the handsomest of these is a richly colored race from the 

 humid coast region of the Northwestern States. 



The cheetah, known also as the "hunting leopard," is sometimes 

 trained to hunt the antelope and other game. Long) limbed and 

 slender, with high rounded head, and with claws less retractile than 

 in the other cats, he has many points of resemblance with the dog; 

 this resemblance is not confined to external appearance but is found 

 also in the muscles. A pair of African cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) 

 was brought over in 1913 by the head keeper of the park from the 

 Government Zoological Garden, Giza, Egypt. They have developed 

 splendidly here and may be considered one of the most important 

 exhibits. 



CIVETS AND HYENAS. 



The civet cats and their allies, the mongooses, genets, and palm 

 civets comprise the family Viverridse. They are of diverse types and 

 are native to the Old World, but one species of mongoose has been 

 introduced in some of the West Indian Islands where it has nearly 

 exterminated many of the native species of birds. Regulations 

 against the introduction of this pest into the United States are 

 rigidly enforced. 



The African civet (Viverra civetta), a handsome spotted species 

 of comparatively large size, is shown in the antelope house. An- 

 other attractive member of the Viverridse is the genet (Genetta, gen- 

 etta) of southwestern Europe ; a specimen of this elegant species may 

 be seen in the small mammal collection installed in the north end of 

 the monkey house. Numerous related forms occur in Africa and 

 southern Asia. 



The spotted hyena (Grocuta croouta) is the commonest African 

 species of the family Hyaenidse. He is a large, powerful brute with 

 jaws and teeth specially developed for crushing bones. The speci- 

 men kept in the lion house is a great pet and is excited to supreme 

 content by a little attention. Unlike the great cats he pays not the 

 slightest attention to bones in the meat fed to him but crushes even 

 the largest as easily and rapidly as if he were eating much softer 

 food. A smaller species, the striped hyena, inhabits India and northern 

 Africa, and a much rarer kind, the brown hyena or " strand wolf " 

 (Hyarna brunnea) , is confined to parts of Africa. A specimen of this 

 latter animal was added to the park collection in 1917. It is the first 

 specimen of the species ever shown in the National Zoological Park, 

 and very few have ever been exhibited in America. Hyenas are 

 essentially carrion eaters and are largely nocturnal in habits. 



THE DOG FAMILY. 



This interesting group of mammals includes the dog, wolf, fox, 

 jackal, and their numerous relatives. It is one of the best-known 



