54 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Decoying the victim Muscular strength. 



artifice, it often succeeds in decoying lambs, 

 calves, &c. from the folds. It is also said, that a 

 party of hyaenas will sometimes decoy the whole 

 of the dogs from a farm, while their companions 

 have an opportunity of issuing from their retreats, 

 and carrying off sufficient booty before the dogs 

 can return to prevent them. 



The inhabitants of Guinea kill these ferocious 

 animals by fixing guns on the outside of the vil- 

 lages, with a piece of carrion fastened to the 

 trigger and placed near the muzzle, in such a 

 manner, that the moment this bait is touched, the 

 trigger is pulled, and the piece discharged. 



The muscular strength of the jaws and neck of 

 the spotted hyaena is extremely great, as will ap- 

 pear from the following anecdote: The den of 

 the animal now in the Tower requiring some re- 

 pairs, the carpenter completed them, by nailing 

 on the floor a thick oak plank, of seven or eight 

 feet in length, with at least a dozen nails, each 

 longer than the middle finger of the hand. At 

 one end of this plank, however, there was a small 

 piece left that stood up higher than the rest, and 

 the man not having a proper chisel along with 

 him to cut it off, he returned to his shop for one. 

 During his absence some persons came in to see 

 the animals, and the hyaena was let down by the 

 keeper from the other part of his den. He had 

 scarcely entered the place before he discovered 

 the piece that was left at the end of the plank* 



* 



