540 CARNIVORA 
the Aard-Wolf or Earth-Wolf of the Dutch colonists of the Cape, an 
animal nearly allied to the Hyznas, but remarkably modified in its 
dentition, the molar teeth being very small, placed far apart, and 
almost: rudi- 
mentary in char- 
acter (Fig. 244). 
The canines are 
long and rather 
slender. The 
dental formula is 
i3,c1,pand m 
a ~, ; total 30 or 
32. Vertebree : 
SS OY, D 15, 15, 
Fic. 244.—Skull and Dentition of the Aard-Wolf (Proteles cristatus). § gi C 24. The 
4 natural size. 
fore feet with 
five toes; the pollex though short, with a distinct claw. The 
hind feet with four subequal toes. Claws all strong, blunt, sub- 
compressed, and non-retractile. The general external appearance is 
very like that of a small Striped Hyzna, but the muzzle is more 
pointed and the ears larger. It has a copious mane of long hair, 
capable of being erected when the animal is excited, along the 
middle line of the neck and back. It is a native of South Africa, 
and is a burrowing nocturnal animal, feeding on decomposing 
animal substances, larve, and termites. Observations upon speci- 
mens in captivity indicate that it has neither inclination nor power 
to attack or feed upon living vertebrated animals. 
Some writers regard Proteles as representing a subfamily of the 
Hyenide. 
Family HY£ZNIDZ. 
Skull with no alisphenoid canal; and the auditory bulla not 
divided by a septum into two chambers. Dorsal vertebre 15. 
Molars usually 4, but in some fossil forms 4, or 2, the second lower 
molar being very small; upper carnassial with three distinct 
lobes; lower carnassial with a large blade and small talon. No 
entepicondylar foramen to the humerus.. This family is confined 
to the Old World, where it is now represented by a single genus, 
which, although evidently nearly related to the Viverride, is 
sufficiently distinct to be regarded as not referable to that family. 
The extinct Ictitherium, however, as already mentioned, connects the 
more generalised members of the Hycenide very closely with the 
Viverride. 
Hyena?—Dentition in existing forms usually 7 3, ¢ 3, p 4, m 
1 For Anatomy of Proteles see Flower, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869, p. 474. 
2 Zimmermann, Specimen Zoologie: Geographice, p. 365 (1777). 
