THE SPOTTED HY.ENA 99 



animal, attacking even man at times. The beast concerned in the often- 

 told story of the drunken trumpeter, who was effectually sobered by 

 finding himself being carried off by a Hyaena, was one of the present 

 species. 



The Brown Hyaena is naturally much less commonly seen in cap- 

 tivity than the other kinds ; but it has several times been exhibited in 

 our Gardens, and there is a specimen there at the time of writing. 



THE SPOTTED HYAENA 



(Hycena croenta) 



THIS is the typical Hyaena of Africa generally, though not occurring 

 north of the Sahara, where the Striped species is the only one 

 found ; in Somaliland, however, they meet. The Spotted Hyaena is 

 decidedly larger and more powerful than either of the others ; it may 

 reach a length of over six feet from the nose to the tip of the tail. 



Its coat is short and close, and there is no mane on the back ; 

 the colour is clear, marked with large black spots. 



The traditional laugh of the Hyaena is one of the characteristic 

 notes of this species, which has a rather extended vocabulary ; but the 

 horrid cackle of "laughter" is commonly heard about a carcase, and 

 seems to be the expression of annoyance in the animal. Ancient 

 tradition credited the Hyaena with laughing to beguile its victims, 

 and, although on the whole a cowardly brute, there is no doubt that 

 this species is the most ferocious and dangerous of the three, nowa- 

 days at all events. 



Although its usual food is carrion, it frequently attacks domestic 

 animals, and even sleeping or wounded people, having a horrid custom of 

 snatching a mouthful from some convenient part of its victim, and then 

 making off. Thus, the tails of domestic animals and the udders of cows 

 are torn away by it, and human beings have to dread having the cheeks 

 torn out, or a similar attack made on other fleshy parts of the body. 



In the ordinary way the beast is nocturnal, but it must sometimes 



