Dr. Smith's Descriptions of two Quadrupeds, cj-c. 461 



to be described would ere this have been familiar to naturalists^ 

 and the illustrious Cuvier saved the necessity of making the fol- 

 lowing confession regarding one of them*. " Nous avons au 

 cabinet du roi une hyène dont la patrie est inconnue, sur laquelle 

 je suis en doute si c'est encore une variété de l'hyène rayée ou 

 bien si on doit la regarder comme une espèce distinct." 



Two species of the genus Hyiena inhabit the more southern 

 parts of Africa, viz. the Hyœna eiicrita, or Tiger Wolf of the 

 Cape colonists, and the Strand Wolf of the same, or the animal 

 evidently alluded to by Cuvier in the remarks above quoted. 

 The description of the latter has been drawn up from observa- 

 tions made on several different specimens, but particularly on 

 one which was purchased for the South African JMuseum, when 

 very young, and which now full-grown still continues in the 

 possession of that establishment. 



The other animal, as will be seen, is a new species of Hi/raa, 

 which, though it has lately been sent to Europe, has not yet, as 

 far as I know, been named or described. From its being always 

 found living in cavities or hollows of old decayed trees, I have 

 given it the specific appellation of "arboreus." The drawing of 

 the Hyama accompanying this paper, is a close and faithful re- 

 presentation of the animal ; and it was my wish to have sent 

 one also of the Hyraa-, but in that 1 have been disappointed, in 

 consequence of my specimen dying before the drawing could 

 be made. 



Hytena villosa. 



Hyœna with the body dusky- gray variegated by large black 

 spots or oblique bands, with the neck yellowish, and the 

 extremities marked by interrupted transverse black lines. 



* llcchcrches sur les Oisemeiis Fossiles, par M. Cuvier, torn. iv. p. 384. 



Stuajs'd 



