THE BROWN HYENA. 221 



behind some bush or other concealment not far from a village or a temporary encamp- 

 ment. Her mate then plays his part by running boldly forwards, and making himself 

 as conspicuous as possible, so as to draw the attention of some of the multitudinous 

 dogs which prowl about human habitations. Out rush the dogs at the sight of the 

 intruder, and the Hyena runs off as fast as he can, taking care to pass near the spot 

 where his mate is lying concealed. The result may be imagined. 



It is not often the case that the Hyena will commit itself to so bold an action, for it 

 is never known to be venturesome unless compelled by dire hunger. 



The STRIPED HYENA is easily to be distinguished from its relations by the peculiar 

 streaks from which it derives its name. The general color of the fur is a grayish-brown 

 diversified with blackish stripes which run along the ribs, and upon the limbs. A large 

 singular black patch extends over the front of the throat, and single black hairs are pro- 

 fusely scattered among the fur. When young, the stripes are more apparent than in adult 

 age, and the little animal has something of atigrine aspect about its face. The reason 

 for this circumstance is twofold ; firstly, because the groundwork of the fur is lighter 

 than in the adult Hyena ; and secondly, because the stripes are proportionately much 

 broader than in the full-grown animal, and there occupy more space. 



Athough the Hyena is so cowardly an animal, yet, like all cowards, it becomes 

 very bold when it finds that it can make its attack with impunity. Emboldened by 

 numbers, and incited by fierce hunger, the Hyenas become the very pests of the native 

 African towns ; roaming with impunity through the streets in search of the garbage 

 that is plentifully flung from the houses, and conducting themselves with the greatest 

 impudence. At nightfall the inhabitants are fain to close their doors firmly, for 

 these dangerous brutes have been known to seize a sleeping man, and kill him with the 

 terrible grip of their powerful jaws. 



In proportion to its size, the Hyena possesses teeth and jaws of extraordinary strength, 

 and between their tremendous fangs the thigh-bones of an ox fly in splinters with a 

 savage crash that makes the spectator shudder. The skull of this animal is formed in 

 a manner that at once points it out as belonging to a creature of enormous power. The 

 " zygomatic " arches of bone that extend from the eyes to the ears are of exceeding 

 strength and thickness ; and along the top of the head there runs a deep bony crest 

 that projects beyond the brain-cavity, and serves for the attachment of the powerful 

 muscles to which the animal owes its singular strength. So forcibly are these muscles 

 exerted that the vertebrae of the neck are sometimes found to have united together 

 " anchylosed " according to the professional term, on account of the violent tension to 

 which they were continually subjected. 



The muzzle is but short, and the rough thorn-studded tongue is used, like that of the 

 feline groups, for rasping every vestige of flesh from the bones of the prey. 



The BROWN HYENA is so named on account of the color of its fur, which is of a 

 blackish-brown tint, diversified with a lighter hue upon the neck and throat, and a few 

 indistinctly marked bands of a blackish-brown across the legs. The hair of this species 

 is extremely long, and has a decided " set " backwards. 



Sometimes the brown hue of the fur is washed with a warmer tint of chestnut, from 

 which circumstance the animal has been termed " Crocuta rufa," the latter word 

 signifying a ruddy hue, and being applied especially to hair. 



THE last of the three acknowledged species of Hyena is a large and heavier built 

 animal than either of the preceding species, from which it is easily distinguishable by 

 the numerous and well-defined spots that are scattered over its body and limbs. The 

 SPOTTED HYENA, or Tiger Wolf, as it is generally called, is, for a Hyena, a fierce and 

 dangerous animal, invading the sheep-folds and cattle-pens under the cover of darkness, 

 and doing in one night more mischief than can be remedied in the course of years. 



The spots, or rather the blotches, with which its fur is marked, are rather scanty upon 

 the back and sides, but upon the legs are much more clearly marked, and are set closer 



