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THE BROWN HYENA. 



together. The paws are nearly black. In the collection of the British Museum is a very 

 young specimen, which, curiously enough, is devoid of the spots that mark its adult fur, 

 thereby presenting a remarkable contrast to the animals which we have already mentioned. 

 For example, the lion, which in mature age is of a uniform tawny hue, is covered when 

 young with spots and stripes, which seem to partake equally of the tigrine and pardine 

 character. The young puma, again, exhibits strongly marked spots of a deeper hue upon 

 its pale tawny fur, and retains them for a considerable time. Indeed, even in the fur of 

 an adult puma may be discerned the remnants of these maculations when the animal is 

 placed in certain lights. The striped Hyena, again, exhibits more decisive markings 

 while young than after it has attained its full growth, and there are many other similar 

 instances. These examples would seem to justify the idea, that the young of these and 

 similar animals were deeper in their coloring than their parents. Yet, in direct opposition 



BROWN HYENA. Crocuta Brunnea. 



to this seeming rule, we find the young of the Spotted Hyena to possess a simple, ruddy, 

 brown fur, similar in color to that of the Brown Hyena. It is worthy of notice, that 

 whatever dark spots, stripes, or blotches exist upon an animal, whether in its young or its 

 adult state, they may always be found either upon the the back, following the line of the ver- 

 tebrae, or upon the legs. And even in those numerous cases where, as in the leopard, tiger, 

 ocelot, and other striped and spotted animals, the dark markings are persistent through the 

 entire life of the creature, these dark spots and stripes are always found to be more power- 

 fully developed upon the spine and on the legs. I would here offer a suggestion : that we 

 may find a key to this curious enigma in the fact, that the darker fur seems, in these animals, 

 to accompany the chief voluntary nerves, and therefore to become more conspicuous upon 



