XIII THE AARD WOLF 413 
of the organs of reproduction have led to the belief that a Hyaena 
changes its sex every year. Its almost human-sounding howls 
are supposed to be a deliberate trap for the unwary traveller. 
There is also a legend that in the eye of the Hyaena is a stone 
which if placed under the tongue of a man endows him with the 
eitt of prophecy. 
Proteles presents many resemblances to the Hyaenas, but also 
certain differences; by many it is placed in a separate family. 
There is but one species, P. cristata, the Aard Wolf of South 
Africa. In outward aspect it is very Hyaena-lke, the coat being 
striped, and the ears, though longer, resembling those of a Hyaena. 
There is also a mane. There are, however, five toes on the fore- 
feet. ‘The teeth are feebler, particularly the molars, which 
are also reduced in number. The skull, as in Hyaena, has no 
alisphenoid canal, but the bulla tympani is divided by a 
septum. The animal seems to feed largely upon insects, 
particularly Termiies, and also upon carrion.! 
Of extinct Hyaenoids Jetitheriwm seems to be transitional 
between them and the Viverridae. Its dentition, 3, +, 4, 2, 
that of a Viverrid, and the feet are five-toed. The upper 
_carnassial tooth, however, is like that of Hyaena in having a 
strong inner cusp. Other extinct genera of Hyaenas are Lycyaena 
and Hyaenictis. The genus Hyaena itself goes back as far as 
to the Miocene, and occurred in Europe until the Pleistocene. 
The Cave Hyaena of this country seems to be indistinguishable 
from Crocuta maculata, though it has received the name of //. 
spelaea. 
Fam. 5. Canidae..—This family cannot be divided into more 
than five genera, and is universally distributed with the exception 
of New Zealand. The auditory bulla is smooth and rounded, and 
has internally a very incomplete septum, extending through about 
one-fourth or one-third of the cavity. The meatus has a fairly 
prominent under lip. The paroccipital process is long and promi- 
nent. The mastoid is distinct, though but slightly developed. 
The glenoid foramen is large; the condyloid foramen is con- 
spicuous, and the carotid canal is deep within the foramen 
lacerum posterius. The last three characters are Bear-like; the 
1s 
1 Flower, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869, p. 457. 
2 For a general account of the Canidae see Mivart, 4 Monograph of the Canidae, 
London, 1890. 
