-* Ilvc'rnas and jackals 



pass the night on the trees close to the earth. I have 

 olten totind a number of cinereous vultures, griffon- 

 vultures, and king-vultures forming an amicable addition 

 to the household ot the young and old hyenas. 



During the day, too, I have often seen hya-nas tearing 

 away at carcases, undisturbed by the hundreds of vultures, 

 marabous, and jackals all around. None of these three 

 species had any fear of the others. All were engrossed 

 in satisfying their hunger as fast as possible. The jackals 

 as well as the hya-nas like to bury themselves in the 

 stomachs of the larger mammals. As darkness drew 

 nigh, the hyitnas would surround the camp, howling 

 dismally ; they were not in the least afraid of visiting 

 our premises by night to steal flesh, or even unappetising 

 morsels such as skins or pieces of leather. 



The photographs I took by night show the greed 

 with which hyaenas pounce on a carcase. Their strength 

 is astonishing. A spotted hyaena can easily run off with 

 an ass, as the reader will see for himself from the accom- 

 panying illustration. Bohm saw them steal a human 

 corpse and gallop oft with it. 



I found the hyaenas timid and cautious when I tried 

 to photograph them feeding by night. As Bohm remarks, 

 they keep at a distance so long as the hunter is within 

 range, but the moment he goes out of sight, if only 

 for a few moments, the hyaenas are back again at the 

 carcase. They are never taken by surprise, being 

 possessed of very sensitive nostrils. 



Young hyaenas are distinctly marked ; when old they 

 lose their marks more or less, and their colouring becomes 

 VOL. ii. 445 6 



