Game Animals of India, etc. 



of Northern India, others indistinguishable from this 

 species have been recorded from those of England and 

 other parts of Europe. Both the Asiatic and the African 

 representatives of the species have been divided into 

 local races, which need not, however, be noticed in 

 this place. 



As a rule, Indian hyaenas prefer open country, 

 especially of a hilly nature, for their resorts, and are 

 seldom seen in forest, although they may take cover in 

 grass or bushes, or even sugar-cane. Rocky ravines 

 are perhaps the places most generally chosen by these 

 skulking, cowardly animals for retirement during the 

 day, and here they make their lairs among crevices and 

 clefts in the rocks, or in holes dug in the soil by their 

 own exertions. Except on the comparatively rare 

 occasions when one is driven from covert during a 

 beat, or a belated individual encountered returning to 

 its lair in the early dawn, hyaenas are rarely seen by the 

 sportsman, who seldom takes much trouble in looking 

 after them, as they yield little in the way of trophies. 

 The skin is valueless, and there are not many sportsmen 

 who set much store on the skulls of these animals. Some- 

 times hyaenas are ridden down and speared by mounted 

 men, and the sport they then afford is by no means to 

 be despised. It is not that they have any great speed ; 

 on the contrary, they are soon outstripped even by an 

 ordinary horse, but from their frequent doubling and 

 turning they are difficult animals with which to get to 

 close quarters, so that the run is generally of consider- 

 able length. Few sportsmen have, however, practised 

 hyaena-spearing ; and to the majority these animals are 

 a nuisance, from their propensity to gnaw and otherwise 

 damage skulls, skins, or other edible articles (including 

 boots) left unguarded within their reach at night. 

 Sometimes a hyaena summons up courage to enter the 

 open door of a tent on a hot night, when the occupant 

 may be startled by the glare of its green eyes as it 

 stands in the doorway. 



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