WITH FLASH-LIGHT AND RIFLE 



The English work on Great and Small Game in Africa, 

 which appeared in 1899, mentions only Somaliland as 

 the habitat of the striped hyena. 



How is it possible, one may ask, that animals ap- 

 parently numerous are met w^th so rarely? For the 

 same reason that lions and other beasts of prey are rare- 

 ly seen ; they are wary and cautious and know that their 

 safety depends on their power of hiding and of escaping 

 observation. How rare is even the sight of a fox or a 

 wild-cat in our fields and woods. 



Four times I have been in East Africa, and but once 

 I saw a striped hyena in the daytime ; two more I saw 

 at night when watching for game; one hundred and 

 twenty -one I caught in traps. The natives knew the 

 animal, but were very reticent and indefinite in giving 

 information regarding the "kingugua." 



The "kingugua" is much more feared by the natives 

 than the spotted hyena; it is supposed to be more ag- 

 gressive and therefore more dangerous. But most like- 

 ly it is only more shy and wary, and much better than 

 its reputation. Attacks on cattle and human beings, 

 with which it is credited, must probably be charged 

 against that most rapacious of felines, the tricky leopard. 



The spotted and the striped hyena alike are very 

 friendly in captivity, and some become almost affection- 

 ate. There is, one in the Berlin zoological gardens which 

 will leave its food when it sees me in order to be petted. 



In 1902 I caught a striped hyena in the Lafitte 



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