HYENAS. 151 



striped variety, and has just the same propensities. 

 Near the Cape, however, it does more mischief, because 

 colonists have settled themselves there, and their farms 

 afford more valuable prey. They are said to prefer 

 making an attack on strong, vigorous animals, because 

 they run away, and the hyamas can follow them ; but 

 the weaker animals turn round and face their enemy, 

 which always intimidates them. 



Mr. Steedman, a South African traveller, gives an 

 unmitigated bad character to the spotted hyenas, and 

 says that such is their preference for human flesh, that 

 they will even pass by the cattle and seize on children 

 as old as eight years. 



The Straand Wolf of the Dutch, or the Villose 

 Hysena of Dr. Andrew Smith, who has done so much 

 for the natural history of Southern Africa, is less com- 

 mon than the other species, and often feeds on the shore, 

 from its preference for those dead animals which are 

 cast up by the sea. If, however, it be pressed by 

 hunger, it commits just as many depredations as the 

 others. It is extremely cunning, conceals itself by day 

 among the mountains or thick patches of forest, and 

 preys at a great distance from its habitation. 



Mr. Pringle confirms Mr. Steedman's accounts of the 

 terrible havoc occasioned by the hyaenas of South 

 Africa, and says that in the district of Somerset they 

 destroyed seventy foals in one year belonging to the 

 farmers. He, however, believes that they never attack 

 human beings by night or by day, and that they come 

 in packs and play the part of four-footed vultures, even 

 devouring their own kindred if they should chance to 

 be killed ; but no other beasts of prey will eat them, 

 from the offensive rankness of their flesh. 



