44 



Quadrupeds. 



enable him to crush the largest bones with ease; and 

 his tongue is as rough as a coarse file. Like the jackal, 

 he attacks the flocks and herds, caring little for the 

 watchfulness or strength of dogs, and when pressed with 

 hunger, comes and howls at the gates of towns, and vio- 

 lates the repositories of the dead, tearing up the bodies 

 from the graves, and devouring them. He is now only 

 found wild in Asia and Africa, but is supposed to have 

 formerly inhabited Europe. When receiving his food, 

 the eyes of this fierce animal glisten, the bristles of his 

 back stand erect, he grins fearfully, and utters a snarling 

 growl. 



THE SPOTTED HYAENA. (Hycena Croatia.). 



THIS is another species which is common in Southern 

 Africa ; it is known amongst the colonists at the Cape 

 of Good Hope, as the Tiger-Wolf. He has none of the 

 mane-like hair on his back, which distinguishes the 

 Striped Hya3na, and his skin is marked with spots 

 instead of stripes. He is a ferocious beast, and is ex- 

 ceedingly destructive to sheep and cattle ; and also fre- 

 quently attacks and carries' off children from the huts of 

 the natives, sometimes even stealing them from their 

 sleeping mothers, 



