84 NATURAL HISTORY. 



are never greatly inclined to sanitary reform, and without Hyaenas, Jackals, and Vultures, would be 

 in a sad case indeed. 



As to the animal's cowardliness, every writer bears witness. Jules Gerard says : " The Arabs 

 say, ' as cowardly as a Hyaena,' and the Arabs are right." So much do the sons of the desert despise 

 their scavenger, that when Gerard killed one with his sabre, they implored him never again to use the 

 defiled weapon, saying that it would certainly betray him after having been sheathed in such a das- 

 tardly carcass. It is stated that the Dog is the only animal the Hyaena dares attack, and even this 

 game they like some help in killing. " When they feel inclined to eat a Dog, they hang about some 

 douar, in the neighbourhood of which there happens to be a good cover. The female stations herself 

 behind some brushwood, and the male goes towards the Dogs, who attack him, and follow him as far 

 as the position of his consort. The female comes out at the fitting moment to attack, throttle, and 

 devour on the spot the Dog who ventures farthest in pursuit of her husband." 



Although the Hyaena is generally considered unworthy of being hunted, yet the Arabs occasion- 

 ally condescend to come to the rescue of their Dogs, by beating their destroyers to death. They have 

 also a curious "yarn" about a new and singular way of killing a Hyaena a similar process to the 

 traditional method of bird-catching. " The Arab who finds a Hyaena in his hole, takes a handful of 

 Cow's dung, and presents it to him, saying, ' Come, and I will render you beautiful with henna.' The 

 Hyaana holds out his paw ; the Arab seizes it, drags him out, then gags him, and causes him to be 

 stoned by the women and children of the douar, as a cowardly and unclean beast." One would have 

 imagined that a Hyaena of ordinary mental capacity would be far too old to be caught with this 

 sort of chaff ! 



THE CRYPTOPROCTA FAMILY* 



This family contains a single animal only, so that the description of the family and of the species 

 will be identical. It has no English name, and must, therefore, be known by its scientific appellation, 

 which is, unfortunately, none of the most musical. 



THE CRYPTOPROCTA.t 



This little animal is extremely interesting, from the fact that it forms a perfect transition between 

 the Cat family on the one hand, and the Civet family on the other. Like the Cats it has truly 

 retractile claws ; unlike them it is plantigrade, or, rather, semi-plantigrade, for it does not walk on 

 the tips of its toes, like a Cat or Dog, neither does it keep the whole sole of the foot flat to the ground 

 like a Bear, but the soles of both fore and hind feet are devoid of hairs, except for a short space near 

 the ankle and heel, and it is the large hairless space which is applied to the ground in walking. 



The characters of the skull are almost exactly half way between those of the two families we have 

 mentioned. The bulb of the ear has its opening quite flush with its outer wall, but is far less 

 swollen than in the Cats. The teeth differ from those of Cats in one important particular, namely, in 

 the fact of there being one more premolar in each jaw. 



The Cryptoprocta is about thirteen inches and a half long from snout to root of tail, the latter 

 appendage being nearly as long as the body. The general colour is light brownish -red, this tint being 

 produced by the individual hairs being ringed with yellow and brown alternately. The body is slender 

 and elegantly formed. The head is also well shaped, with a pointed snout, and large rounded ears. 

 There are five toes on each foot, and, as we have already mentioned, the claws are provided with true 

 retractile ligaments. 



This curious and interesting little animal is very rare ; only one or two specimens having reached 

 Europe. Even at the present time hardly anything is known of its internal organs. It was first brought 

 to England forty or fifty years ago. " Mr. Telfair, President of the Mauritius Natural History 

 Society, who presented the animal to the Zoological Society of London, received it from the interior 

 and southern part of Madagascar, and stated that it was the most savage creature of its size he ever 

 met with. Its motions and power and activity were those of a Tiger, and it had the same appetite for 

 blood and destruction of animal life. Its muscular force was very great, and the muscles of its limbs 

 were remarkably full and thick. It lived with Mr. Telfair for some months." 



* Cryptoproctidce. \ Cryptoprocta ferox. 



