] 80 



THE BEASTS OF PREY. 



much less plentiful than the Spotted Hyaena, but to 

 have about the same habits, living mainly on. carrion, 

 perhaps on that washed ashore by the waves. ' ' 



The Striped The Striped ny^nd. {Ny^tia stnata) is 

 Hycena a very well-known animal, and is quite 



Described, often seen in zoological gardens. It 

 is very frequently shipped to Europe, for it exists 

 nearest that continent. [It is also a very familiar 

 feature of menageries in the United States.] It is, 

 in fact, a very common animal and the one usually 

 trained to perform the ordinary tricks one sees in 

 circuses. A description of its appearance may be 

 limited to a few words, since it is so extensively 

 known. The fur is rough, stiff and rather long; the 

 color is a whitish-yellow gray diversified by black 

 .stripes. The hair of the mane also has black tips 

 and the throat is not infrequently entirely black. 

 The tail is either of a uniform tint or striped. The 

 head is thick, the snout relatively thin, though still 

 clumsy enough; the ears are erect, large and entirely 



THE AAED-WOLF. This animal forms a distinct group of the Hyaena family, has a yellow fur with black 



stripes and a rough mane extending along its back. In the picture one Aard-Wolf has left the hole from which the 



other is just emerging, for they are burrowing animals and live gregariously, 

 •of Sheep in southwestern Africa. (Proteles lalandii.) 



devoid of hair. The younger specimens resemble 

 the adults. The average length of the body is about 

 three feet, a little more or less. 

 Where and How The Striped Hyaena has the most 

 Striped extensive range of the three species; 

 Hycsnas Live, jt jg common throughout the north- 

 ern part of Africa, beginning with the extreme west, 

 and is found over a considerable part of southern 

 Africa and all southern Asia, from the Mediterranean 

 to the Bay of Bengal. Like all Hyaenas it does not 

 affect woods, but delights in the open country. It is 

 the least harmful of the three species of Hyaenas, 

 and probably is nowhere much feared. 1 here are so 

 many carcasses, or bones at least, lying around in its 

 native country, that it is seldom driven by hunger to 

 boldly attack living animals. Its cowardice exceeds 

 all bounds; still it sometimes enters villages, and in 

 Egypt prowls around their outskirts. Carcasses put 



out by us as a bait to decoy Vultures within range 

 of our guns always attracted Hyaenas during the 

 night, and they' annoyed us very* mtich. VVhen we 

 were camping out, they often, came sneaking up, 

 and even entered the encampment, and several times 

 we were able to fire at them without rising. In spite 

 of this animal's voracious persistence, nobody fears 

 it, and it is really too cowardly to attack even sleep- 

 ing people. Neither does it dig up the dead, unless 

 the bodies are but thinly covered with a little sand or 

 earth ; and it is quite innocent of the ghoulish prac- 

 tices imputed to it by showmen. Its habits are much 

 the same as those of the spotted species, except that 

 it is seldom found in large numbers. 



Two Striped A few days after our first arrival in 

 Hyaenas Trained Khartum we purchased two young 

 as Pets. Hyaenas [for a price equal to twenty- 

 five cents in American money]. The animals were 

 about the size of a half-grown Terrier, clothed in a 

 very soft, fine woolly fur of dark gray hue and very 



spiteful, notwithstanding 

 they had enjoyed human 

 society for some time. 

 We put them in a stable 

 and I visited them daily. 

 At first they were addict- 

 ed to vicious biting, but 

 repeated sound blows 

 overawed their resist- 

 ance, and three months 

 after the day of purchase 

 I could play with them 

 as I would with a Dog, 

 without having to fear 

 any mischief on their 

 part. Their affection for 

 me increased every day, 

 and they were overjoyed 

 when I visited them. 

 When they were more 

 than half-grown they sig- 

 nified their pleasure in a 

 very strange manner. As 

 soon as I entered the 

 room they rushed at me 

 with a joyous howl, put 

 their fore - paws on my 

 shoulders and sniffed my 

 face. Later on I led them 

 by a slight string through 

 the streets of Cairo, to 

 the horror of all good 

 citizens. They were so 

 affectionate that they often paid me a call without 

 being invited, and it made a surprising as well as 

 uncanny impression on strangers to see us at the 

 tea-table. Each of us had a Hyaena at his side, and 

 the animal sat on its haunches as quietly and sensi- 

 bly as a well-bred Dog, who pleads for a few scraps 

 at table. The Hyaenas did that also, and their gen- 

 tle request consisted of a low but very hoarse cry. 

 They expressed their gratitude either by the same 

 sounds and actions they used in greeting me as 

 above described, or by sniffing my hands. 



They were passionately fond of sugar, but also 

 had a great liking for bread, especially if it was 

 soaked in tea. Their usual food was Pariah Dogs, 

 which we shot for the purpose. My pets were on 

 good terms with each other. If one were absent for 

 any considerable time there was great joy when the 

 two met: again; in short, they proved to me quite 



They are great enemies to the flocks 



