HYAENA* 299 



strength of limbs, and by a remarkable fulness or 

 thickness of the snout. It colour is a pale grey- 

 ish-brown accompanied by a tawny cast; and the 

 whole body is marked by several distant blackish 

 transverse bands running from the back down- 

 wards : these bands are much more numerous as 

 well as of a deeper colour on the legs : from the 

 neck along the upper part of the back runs a 

 strong bristly mane : the snout or nose is black : the 

 ears are longish, sharp-pointed, and nearly naked : 

 the tail is rather short than long, and is very full 

 of hair. On all the feet are four toes. 



Hyaenas generally inhabit caverns and rocky 

 places: they prowl about chiefly by night, and 

 feed on the remains of dead animals as well as on 

 living prey. They are even said to devour the 

 bodies which they occasionally find in cemeteries. 

 They attack cattle, and frequently commit great 

 devastation among the flocks. Though not gre- 

 garious from any social principle, they sometimes 

 assemble in troops, and follow with dreadful assi- 

 duity the movements of an army, through the 

 hope of feasting on the slaughtered bodies. 



There is something in the aspect of the Hyasna 

 which seems to indicate a peculiar gloominess 

 and malignity of disposition, and its manners in a 

 state of captivity seem in general to correspond 

 with its appearance, being savage and untracta- 

 ble. It has even been supposed that the Hyama 

 cannot be tamed; but this opinion is proved to 

 be erroneous from two instances at least; one of 

 which is recorded by Mr. Pennant, who declares 



