NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 
strong and active in the lion, tiger, and most others 
of the cat tribe, is small and inactive in the Spotted 
Hyena. If the brain of one of these animals and 
that of a lion or tiger be compared, it will be ob- 
served that the area claimed by phrenologists to 
be the brain centre which gives rise to aggressive- 
ness and brute courage generally is large and convex 
in these cats, and comparatively small in the hyena. 
The Spotted Hyzna is doomed to extinction in 
South Africa in the not distant future. Its mission as 
one of Nature’s scavengers is at an end. -Civilised 
man has no need for it, for his advanced powers of 
intellect have devised better ways and means of ren- 
dering harmless all insanitary matter, than allowing 
it to be eaten up by these skulking scavengers. In 
the northern parts of South Africa the battle is at 
its height, and before the hyzna is finally vanquished 
considerable numbers of domestic animals will fall 
victims to it, for, lacking carrion which is its natural 
food, and driven by the pangs of hunger, it takes 
every opportunity of devouring the stock of the 
farmer. In the struggle for existence animals, as 
well as man, change their habits and ways to a re- 
markable degree, and the Spotted Hyzna is no 
exception. 
In general bulk the Spotted Hyzna is not unlike 
an adult mastiff dog, but it is very different in shape. 
The body is massive and bulky in front, tapering 
off towards the hindquarters, which are about four 
inches lower than the shoulders. The fur is woolly 
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