CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 6. CARNIVORA. 287 



Numerous writers have treated of the habits of this destructive animal. From them it appears 

 that it is more numerous and more widely diffused than the other kind common in that quarter, 

 which has the name of the Strand or Coast Wolf — the H. villosa, hereafter to be described : it is 

 also more voracious and destructive, not only devouring such animals as it chances to find dead 

 but also carrying off the smaller ones from the pens of the farmers during the night, and often 

 succeeding in killing and mutilating such of the larger kinds as have not been secured before 

 dusk. Sickly animals, it appears, are less liable to suffer from the voracity of this creature than 

 those that are in full health, — the latter, by their rapid flight, inspiring their enemy with a cour- 

 age of which by nature he is destitute; whereas, the sickly face him, and thus intimidate him 

 from attacks which might be successful if made. So anxious is he for the flight of the animals 

 as a preliminary to his attack, that he uses all the grimace and threatening he can command to 

 induce them to run, and never dares to attack them unless they do so. 



"The character of this hyena," says an eminent author, "makes his destruction an object of no 

 small importance to the farmers, whose ingenious snares for him call forth amazing cunning and 

 dexterity on the part of the animal to render them of no avail. The more common methods em- 

 ployed against beasts of prey, such as spring-guns, traps, <fec, do not succeed in his case. During 

 his nocturnal wanderings, he minutely examines every object that presents itself to his notice 

 with which he is not perfectly familiar; and if he see reason to suspect that it can injure him, he 

 will turn back and make his way in an opposite direction. Thus cords or leather thongs, w r hich 

 are often laid across the footpaths the hyena is accustomed to travel upon, and which are attached 

 to the triggers of loaded guns, with the design that his contact with the thong may cause the 

 discharge of the gun in his direction, are very carefully examined by him, and the usual result of 

 his examination is his deciding against trusting himself in contact with them. The farmers have 

 so often observed this result, that they now very rarely attempt his destruction by this means, 

 but occasionally succeed by substituting for cords the delicate stems of creeping plants, which are 

 regarded by him without suspicion until he has actually suffered through them. Many other in- 

 genious methods, suggested by the necessity of the case, have been adopted by the farmers for 

 the destruction of hyenas; but a description of them, though elsewhere desirable, would here be 

 out of place. 



"This species seldom, if ever, moves abroad during the day, but passes that period in a state of 

 repose, either in holes in the ground, or in retired situations densely covered with bush. Night 

 is his favorite season for seeking his food; and toward nightfall his bowlings are regularly heard, 

 announcing to the various animals the approach of their voracious enemy, and thus enabling 

 many of them to escape his wiles. The propensity this beast has for howling seems, therefore, to 

 be disadvantageous to him ; and if his almost continuous noise be not intended to put the animals 

 upon which he preys upon their guard, its actual purpose is scarcely conceivable. Some have 

 surmised it to be his call to creatures of his own species ; but that this is not the case, is certain 

 from the fact that hyenas are heard to utter their supposed call even while separating from each 

 other further and further as each cry is uttered ; in addition to which it may be remarked that it 

 is contrary to the habit of this animal to hunt in company, or even to congregate in large num- 

 bers, save when assembled by the temptation of an abundance of carrion. A still further proof 

 that the hyena's cry is not a friendly call to his own species, may be found in the fact, that when 

 individual hyenas have found a dead animal they cease to utter their melancholy howl, as if in 

 fear of calling participators of their feast." 



It appears from the above interesting account, that the spotted hyena puts in practice "all the 

 grimace and threatening he can command" to induce the objects of his attack to run; in other 

 words, his plan of attack is founded upon intimidation. May not his howls be intended to inspire 

 terror and shake the nerves of the animals within hearing of the doleful nocturnal sounds? . 



"Till lately," adds the author just quoted, "hyenas were in the habit of /paying nightly visits 

 to the streets of Cape Town, and were regarded as very useful in carrying away the animal refuse, 

 which might otherwise have been disagreeable. This however no longer occurs, partly perhaps 

 from better regulations now existing in the town, and partly from the number of these animals 

 having very greatly decreased. Even now, however, individual hyenas occasionally approach the 



