112 WILD ANIMALS. 



portion of the African continent, being generally found nearer the 

 sea-coast than the other species. It differs from them in having 

 the long, coarse, shaggy hair of the body of a grizzled brown 

 colour. 



Nearly all the then known wild beasts of any size appear at one 

 time or another to have been exhibited in Rome when she was in the 

 zenith, of her power, and the hysenas were no exception ; but these 

 animals do not seem to have made their appearance until a 

 comparatively late period, for they are first spoken of as being 

 seen in that collection of remarkably rare animals prepared for 

 the younger Gordian, but which were left for his successor, the 

 Emperor Philip, to exhibit in the secular games at the thousandth 

 anniversary of Rome (a.d. 248). 



In the cave at Kirkdale, Yorkshire, discovered by Professor 

 Buckland, previously spoken of, the remains of a large number of 

 hyenas were found, and their bones have been also found in many 

 similar places both in this country and in France and Germany. 



A hy^na was reported in the last century to have committed 

 great ravages in France. The following extract from Dodsley's 

 " Annual Register " for 1766, seems to refer to the animal. 

 " This time twelvemonth a wild beast began to make its appear- 

 ance in the south of France, especially in the Yivavais and 

 Gevaudan, so uncommonly wily as seldom to attack any but 

 children or women when he could meet them alone, and of such 

 uncommon speed as to be seen in the same day in many and very 

 distant places, so as to prevent people's travelling, and greatly 

 obstruct all country business heretofore carried on by children or 

 single persons. Several parties of dragoons having been sent 

 against him to no purpose, the king, in February last, offered a 

 reward of six thousand livres for killing him ; and even public 

 prayers were put up in several churches to be delivered from this 

 terrible animal, which the coming up of the corn now rendered it 

 almost impossible to discover or pursue, without doing more damage 

 than could be apprehended from the creature itself, whom several 

 traps had been laid for to no purpose, and many of the dragoons, 

 by dressing themselves in women's apparel, had in vain endea- 

 voured to entice to a fair engagement. Having once attacked 



