Hytenas.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



211 



mangled, hut recovered by the attention of Mr, 

 Shepstone and his friends. 



Various methods are employed for the destruction 

 of this ferocious beast, as snares, pit-falls, traps, 

 spring-guns, &c , but so cunning and suspicious is 

 the animal, that he mostly avoids them. 



The general colour of this species is yellowish- 

 brown, with numerous spots, more or less distinct, 

 of a deeper tint ; the mane down the neck and 

 back is less full and long than in the striped hyaena, 

 and the hair generally is shorter. 



937. — The Villosk Hy.ena 



(Hymna villosa, Smith). Srraand-Wolf of the Dutch 

 colonists of the Cape. For our knowledge of this spe- 

 cies, which resembles in some respects the Striped 

 Hyaena, we are indebted to Dr. A. Smith, who figured 

 and described it in the fifteenth volume of the ' Lin- 

 naean Transactions.' The Villose Hyaena is a native 

 of South Africa, but is by no means so common as 

 the spotted species, and is found chiefly along the sea- 

 coast, but has been observed in the neighbourhood 

 of Nieuveld Mountains, a considerable distance in 

 the interior of the country. The Villose Hyaena, or 

 Straand-Wolf, devours carrion, and such dead ani- 

 mal substances (whales for instance) as the sea 

 casts up ; but when pressed by hunger its habits 

 seem to resemble those of the other species, for it 

 then commits serious depredations on the flocks and 

 herds of the colonists, who hold its incursions in 

 great dread. Mr. Steedman, who states this, says 

 that he saw a very fine specimen, which had been, 

 shot by a farmer residing in the vicinity of Blauw- 

 berg, and was informed that it had destroyed three 

 large calves belonging to the farmer. He adds, 

 that it is said to be a remarkably cunning animal, re- 

 tiring to a considerable distance from the scene of 

 its depredations to elude pursuit, and concealing 

 itself during the day-time in the mountains, or in 

 the thick bush which extends in large patches 

 throughout the sandy district in which it. is Usually 

 found. 



The Villose Hysena stands about two feet four 

 inches in height at the shoulder, and measures four 

 feet four inches from the nose to the root of the 

 tail. The hair of the body is long and coarse. Its 

 general colour is dusky-giey, variegated with inde- 

 finite clouds or oblique bands of black, the latter 

 prevailing on the limbs. 



The fossil bones of extinct species of Hyaena 

 prove the abundance of these animals at one period 

 in our portion of the globe. In the Cave of Kirk- 

 dale these relics were found in vast numbers, ex- 

 ceeding those of any other carnivorous animal. 

 They have been discovered also in other places in 

 our island. On the continent they occur in the 

 Cavern of Gaylenreuth, and in most of those where 

 the fossil bones of bears are met with, to which we 

 have already alluded. 



938. — The Proteles 



(Proteles cristata). Aard-Wolf (earth-wolf) of the 

 Dutch colonists of the Cape; Proteles Lalandii, 

 Isidore, Geoflioy ; Viverra Hyaenoides, Desmarest ; 

 Civette Hyeno'ide of F. Cuvier. 



The genus Proteles, which appears to link the 

 Hyaenas to the Civets, contains, as far as known, 

 only one species which is a native of South Africa. 

 In general contour and manners this singular ani- 

 mal much resembles the former animals, but is of 

 inferior size : the hinder quarters are low and trail- 

 ing: the shoulders thick and muscular; while a 

 full' coarse mane runs along the side. In denti- 



4—4 

 tion it is very remarkable. The molars are y— ij» 



much separated from each other. Of those above, 

 the three first are false, and the fourth is small and 

 tuberculous, with three points. The three molars 

 below have each the character of false molars. 

 Incisors and canines as usual. 



On their fore-feet there are five toes, but the 

 thumb is short, rudimentary, and high on the car- 

 pus as in the dog ; the hinder feet have four toes. 

 The claws are strong, large, blunt, and well adapted 

 for scrat ching. There are no decided scent-pouches, 

 as in the Civets, but a furrow in their stead. The 

 form of the head more resembles that of the Civets 

 than the Hyaenas, being somewhat elongated, and 

 having the muzzle conical and pointed. The ears 

 are long, erect, acute, and thinly covered with hair ; 

 the whiskers are strung ; the tail is short and bushy, 

 with coarse hair. The body is covered with woolly 

 fur, intermixed with long coarse hairs. The 

 general colour is of a yellowish-grey, radiated 

 tvith distinct transverse stripes of dusky-black, the 

 mane being lvaved with black, which is also the 

 colour of the feet and extreme half of the tail. The 

 young are much darker, both in general colour and 

 their markings, than adults. Length of an adult 

 female specimen in the museum of the Zool. Soc, 

 two feet six inches, exclusive of the tail, which is 

 eleven inches. The male is somewhat larger. 



The Aard-wolf, or Proteles, is nocturnal in its 

 habits, and constructs a deep burrow, at the bottom 

 of which it lies concealed during the day-time. 

 This subterranean chamber, to which there are three 

 or four different entrances, is usually occupied by 

 several individuals, so that the animal appears to 

 be partially gregarious. Notwithstanding the trail- 

 ing contour of its hind-quarters, it runs with con- 

 siderable quickness : when irritated, it erects its 

 mane, like the hyaena. Its food consists of carrion 

 and small anim.als, not excluding ants, which were 

 found by Sparrman in the stomach of one he killed. 



939, 940.— The Civet 



( Viverra Civetta). The restricted genus Viverra, as 

 established by modern naturalists, contains only a 

 limited number of species, characterized by the 

 possession of a large double sacculus, secreting an 

 unctuous substance of a strong musky odour ; by 

 the claws being half retractile ; and the pupil of 

 the eye circular during the day. The dentition, 

 similar to that of the Ichneumons (Fig. 941), is 



as follows : — Incisors, - ; canines, 

 6-6 



1—1 

 1=1 5 



molars, 



6—6 



= 40. 



The body is long and compressed laterally ; the 

 fur is somewhat harsh, full ; and a mane, as in the 

 Proteles runs along the spine. The head is stout, 

 but the muzzle is elongated; the ears are short, 

 wide, and rounded ; the tail is shorter than the 

 body. The e^es gleam in the dark with great bril- 

 liancy. 



Of nocturnal habits, wild and savage, the animals 

 of this genus are decidedly carnivorous, preying 

 upon birds, reptiles, and small mammalia, which 

 they take by surprise, and exhibit great energy and 

 bodily activity. When taken young they are easily 

 tamed, but adults can never be reconciied to cap- 

 tivity. 



The Civet is peculiar to North Africa, and is 

 especially common in Abyssinia, frequenting hilly, 

 uncultivated districts and arid situations. It gives 

 its name to the musky perfume for which all 

 the species are equally remarkable. In figure the 

 civet is lobust, but the body is compressed laterally ; 

 in size it equals a dog of middle stature, being 

 about twenty-six inches in length, exclusive of the 

 tail, which is thirteen or fourteen inches. Buffon 

 states that in his time numbers were kept in Hol- 

 land for the commercial advantage of obtaining 

 their odorous secretion ; but we are not aware that 

 such is now the case. In North Africa, however, 

 the practice is in vogue. The colour of the civet 

 is dark grey, thickly banded with black ; a white 

 stripe runs along the sides of the neck, bounded by 

 a black line above, the throat and sides of the 

 muzzle being black. A thick mane of coarse black 

 hair runs along the neck and back, and continues 

 over the tail, which is consequently somewhat 

 bushy. 



In India the Civet is represented by the Zibet 

 (Viverra Zibetha, Linn. ; Viverra undulata, Gray), 

 and in Java by the Tangalung (the Tangalunga 

 Padi of the natives). This is the Spotted Civet, 

 Viverra Tangalunga, of Gray, and the V. Zibetha 

 of F. Cuvier, Dr. Horsfield, Sir T. Raffles, who con- 

 founded it with the former, from which it is deci-. 

 dedJy distinct. It is the Viverra Hardwickii of 

 Lesson. 



942, 943.— The Genet 

 (Genetta vulgaris). The Genets are distinguished 

 by a slim and graceful contour ; the neck is long ; 

 the head is narrow, and terminates in a pointed 

 muzzle ; the limbs are short ; the ears broad, short, 

 and rounded ; the tail lengthened ; the pupils of 

 the eyes linear and vertical ; the musk-pouches are 

 inconsiderable or reduced to a mere depression. 



In their manners, as well as in several anatomical 

 peculiarities, the Genets approximate closely to the 

 Cats. Like those animals they hiss when ap- 

 proached or irritated ; spring upon their prey, tak- 

 ing it by surprise ; strike and lacerate with their 

 talons, which are completely retractile ; and climb 

 trees with ease and rapidity. In the markings and 

 character of the fur also we see a marked approach 

 to the i ats. 



The Common Genet is found throughout Africa 

 and occurs in the South of France and other por- 

 tions of Europe adjacent to the Mediterranean. It 

 is said to haunt the borders of streams and rivers, 

 especially near their source. This beautiful but 

 fierce animal is easily domesticated, and is kept 

 tame in Constantinople, where it is in repute as a 

 destroyer of rats and mice. Its odour is not very 

 powerful, nor at all disagreeable. 



The general colour is greyish-yellow, with black 

 lines down the back, and spotted on the sides with 

 the same : on the cheeks, above the eyes, and on each 

 side of the muzzle, there is a streak of white ; the 

 tail is alternately banded with black and white. 



944. — The Rasse Genet 



(Gcnetta Rasse). Viverra Rasse, Horsfield; Viverra 

 Gunda, Hamilton, MSS. This species, whicn is a 

 native of Java, appears to be different from the 

 Genetta Indica. According to Dr. Horsfield, it 

 frequents forests of moderate elevation, where it 

 preys upon small birds and animals of every descrip- 

 tion, and possesses the sanguinary appetite of the 

 animals of this family in a high degree. In con- 

 finement it will devour a mixed diet, and is fed on 

 eggs, fish, flesh, and rice. The natives affirm that 

 salt is a poison to it. Its odoriferous secretion is 

 termed dedes by the Javanese, and jibet by the 

 Malays, and is held in high esteem. In the Mu- 

 seum of the Zool. Soc. there are eight, distinct spe- 

 cies of the present genus, to which has yet to be 

 added the Fossane of Madagascar. 



945. — The Deltjndung 

 {Prionodon gracilis). This beautiful and singular 

 species, a native of Java, was regarded by Dr. Hors- 

 field as so intimately related to the Cats, that he 

 terms it Felis, and assigns it a sectional place in 

 that group. We consider it to be the most nearly 

 allied to the Genets, though destitute of scent- 

 glands, and differing somewhat in the dentition, 



which is as follows: — Incisors,-; canines, ; mo- 



6 1 — 1 



g 5 



Jars, - — -. Of the molars above, the first is bi- 

 o — o 



cuspid, the second tricuspid, as is the third ; the 



fourth, or earnassiere, has an elongated cutting 



edge ; the fifth is tubercular. This jagged form of 



the teeth has suggested the name of Prionodon, from 



■wpiwv, ' a saw,' and oSovg, ' a tooth.' (See Fig. 946 :■ 



a, an external view of the teeth of both jaws; b, an 



internal view of the same ; c, front view of the 



teeth.) The Delundung was discovered in 1806, by 



Dr, Horsfield, during his researches in the district 



of Blambangan, at the eastern extremity of Java, 



where it is very rare, and still more so in other parts 



of the island: it inhabits the extensive forests 



with which the district is almost entirely covered. 



Of its habits no details were collected. 



This animal is extremely slender and elongated, 



with a tapering head and sharp muzzle, a long thick 



tail, and slender delicate limbs. The eyes are 



sprightly, the irides brown, the pupils circular. The 



claws are minute and sharp, and perfectly retractile. 



The fur is silky at the base, and soft to the touch. 



The whiskers are very long. The ground-colour is 



of a delicate yellowish-white ; four broad transverse 



bands of rich blackish-brown traverse the back at 



equal intervals ; an interrupted stripe, originating 



behind the eye and between the ears, passes along 



the side, and terminates in large spots on the thigh ; 



the shoulder is similarly spotted ; and the tail is 



ringed at regular but increasing intervals. The 



tout-ensemble brings to mind the cloudings on a 



rich piece of tort oisesh ell. Fig. 946 presents a 



front view of the head: d, the fore-foot covered with 



fur ; e, the hind foot with the fur removed. 



947. — The Cryptoprocta 



(Cryptoprocta ferox). This remarkable and rare 

 animal is a decided link between the Viverrine and 

 the Feline groups, approaching very nearly to the 

 latter in external characters, and still more so in in- 

 ternal anatomy. 



The body is slender, but the limbs are robust and 

 muscular ; the head is narrow ; the eyes rather 

 small ; the ears unusually large and rounded ; the 

 toes five on each foot ; the tail long. General 

 colour a light brownish-red. 



The individual on which Mr. Bennett founded his 

 description was immature, having not yet lost its 

 milk-teeth ; it was thirteen inches and a half in the 

 length of the head and body, that of the tail being 

 eleven inches and a half. 



Of the habits of the Cryptoprocta ferox nothing 

 definitely is known. The specimen in question was 

 sent to the Zool. Soc. by Mr. Telfair, President of 

 the Mauritius Natural History Society, who states 

 that he received it alive from the interior and south- 

 ern part of Madagascar, and that he had not seen 

 in the Mauritius any of the Madagascar people that 

 were acquainted with it. Hence it would seem to 

 be rare. He remarks, " It was the most savage 

 creature of its size I ever met with ; its motions, 

 power, and activity were those of a tiger, and it had 

 the same appetite for blood and the destruction of 

 animal life. Its muscular force was very great, and 

 the muscles of the limbs were remarkably full and 

 thick." 



948. — The Suricate 

 (Pyzamatetradactyla, 111.). Regarding the Pro- 

 teles as leading to the Hyaenas, and the Cryptoprocta 

 to the Cats, another line of the Viverridae appears to 

 conduct us to the Ferrets, through the Ichneumons. 

 But before we notice these, two remarkable genera 

 claim our attention, each containing a single species, 

 which in form and habits appears to exhibit a cer- 



2E 2 



