HYENAS 95 



seized and dragged off. Unluckily for the thief, the 

 leopard must have returned just as this happened, and 

 the spot where the robber had hastily dropped his booty 

 and the rightful owner recovered it, was easily discernible 

 some twenty yards away. Having regained possession, the 

 leopard had proceeded to place the " kill " securely in 

 a large tree, where we found it in the morning. 



Although, considering their size, strength and natural 

 powers, Spotted Hyaenas are cowardly animals, they 

 display at times partially redeeming qualities. It is 

 not uncommon for individuals to rush in at the carcass 

 of an animal killed by a lion, in order to snatch a mouth- 

 ful, even when the king of the forest is still enjoying his 

 meal a piece of daring often paid for with life. I have 

 seen wounded hyaenas defend themselves well when 

 mobbed by dogs, and remember having one of the latter 

 killed in this way. The hyaena gripped his neck for the 

 fraction of a second, and although there was little external 

 mark and the skin was not broken, the dog died in a few 

 minutes, the powerful jaws having crushed the internal 

 organs in a terrible manner. On the other hand, a large 

 animal, chased and held by a half-bred greyhound and 

 a boarhound, showed very little fight. A case somewhat 

 similar to that related by Mr. Selous, of a hyaena being 

 attacked by and defending himself against a pack of 

 hunting dogs, was noticed a few years ago in the Transvaal 

 Game Reserve. On this occasion, though putting up a 

 good fight, his back against a tree, the hyaena, badly 

 injured and much exhausted, no doubt would shortly 

 have been killed. When a single domestic dog chases 

 a hyaena, the latter, after decamping for some distance, 

 will not infrequently turn round upon his pursuer, 

 unless the latter happens to be exceptionally big and 

 powerful. 



