THE AARDWOLF 



Proteles oristatas, Spavnn. 



Somali name, Shambtl 



Description. — The aardwolf looks not unlike a small striped 

 hyaena, and is about the size of the common jackal. The general 

 colour is a pale buff, and the hair soft and fine. Along the back, 

 running the whole length of the body, is a crest of long erectile 

 hairs which are continued on to the tail, which is short and bushy. 

 These hairs are thickest on the nape of the neck, and run up to 

 170 mm. in length. They are of a pale buff colour, banded with 

 black. The neck is rather long, and is of a uniform buff colour 

 with an indistinct longitudinal stripe running the whole length of 

 it, starting close behind the ear and terminating at the shoulder. 

 The body stripes are usually six in number, and well marked. On 

 the outer aspect of the foreleg there are six " switchback " stripes 

 close together, and on the hindleg only four. The fore- and hind- 

 feet are black, covered with short black shiny hairs — the former 

 possess dew-claws. The head is dark greyish buff in colour, and 

 the hair on it is very short. The muzzle is black and hairless, and 

 the ears long. The tail is rather short, and the hairs identical with 

 those of the mane with exception of those hairs towards its 

 terminal part, which are blacker, and may be 120 mm. in 

 length. ' 



Dimensions. — The measurements of a female aardwolf, taken 

 in the flesh, were as follows : 



Length of head and body 

 „ of tail 



„ with terminal hairs 



Height at shoulder 

 Round body . 

 Ears 

 Weight . 



251 m. 



9\ „ 

 13I ,. 

 I7l . 

 13 » 



4 .. 

 10 lb. 



37 



