HYAENA. . 269 



about the abdomen and limbs, than in the Cape 

 race, and the white of the tail is always divided 

 from the rufous at its base by a broad blackish 

 space. This variety becomes hairless at the period 

 of changing the fur, and when old, remains altoge- 

 ther naked. M. Riippel encountered these animals 

 in the wilderness of Korti and the deserts of Kor- 

 dofan, where they hunt in packs, form ambushes 

 in the vicinity of springs to surprise antelopes, and 

 when pressed by hunger they will attack man, on 

 which account they are feared by the natives. 



The specimens we took for Mebbia (which are 

 red canines) were two skins only ; they appeared 

 to indicate animals, in proportion, with larger bodies, 

 shorter and much stronger legs ; their fur well fur- 

 nished, of similar colours, but with few insulated 

 white spots edged with black, the white being 

 without borders, and the black broad, indifferently 

 passing on the white and the black, particularly 

 upon the nape, across the rump, and obliquely over 

 the shoulder ; the abdomen rufous. 



GENUS II.-HY.flEN A.* 



ALTHOUGH, in zoological arrangement, several other 



digitigrade Carnassiers may be interposed between 



the true Canidce and the present group, we may, 



* See Engraving of Skull, F^. 1, Plate XXXL, VoL I. 



