THE SPOTTED HYAENA. 27 



resides in the caverns of mountains, in the clefts of rocks, 

 or in dens, that it has formed for itself under the earth. 

 Though taken ever so young, it cannot be tamed ; it lives 

 by depredation, like the wolf, but is much stronger, and 

 more courageous. It sometimes attacks man, carries off 

 cattle, follows the flock, breaks open the sheep-cots by 

 night, and ravages with insatiable voracity. Its eyes 

 shine by night ; and it is asserted, not without great appear- 

 ance of truth, that it sees better by night than by day. 

 When destitute of other provision, it scrapes up graves, 

 and devours the dead bodies, how putrid soever. 



THE SPOTTED HY^NA 



Is called, at the Cape of Good Hope, the Tiger-Wolf, 

 and is very common in that part of the world. Sparrman 

 describes it as a cruel, mischievous, and formidable animal. 

 Its horrid yells are to be heard every night, whilst it 

 prowls about for its prey, and lurks near farm yards, where 

 cattle are kept. These are well defended by dogs, of 

 which the Hyaena, though larger and stronger, is much 

 afraid ; and will not venture an attack, unless pressed by 

 the most urgent necessity : neither will it dare to seize upon 

 any of the larger animals, such as oxen, cows, horses, &c., 

 whilst they make the least appearance of defending them- 

 selves, or even if they do not betray any symptom of fear. 

 It sometimes endeavours to disperse the cattle by its 

 hideous roaring ; after which it selects and pursues one of 

 them, which it soon disables by a deadly bite, and then 

 deavours. 



The general colour is a reddish brown, marked with 

 roundish spots ; the hind legs, in some, with transverse 

 black bars, in others with spots ; its head is large and 

 flat ; above each eye, as well as on the lips, it has 

 whiskers; a short shagged kind of mane runs along from 

 the middle of the back to its head, the hair pointing 

 forward ; its ears are short and round ; the hair on its face 

 and upper part of its head is short ; the skin on its brow 

 is wrinkled. 



