THE SPOTTED HYAENA. 



The peafants in the neighbourhood of the Cape of Good Hope fay, that this 

 animal is pollened of great fagacity, and that a party of them, half flying and 

 half defending themfelves, will decoy a whole pack of Dogs to follow them 

 to the diftance of a gun mot or two from the farm, with a defign to give the 

 reft of their companions an opportunity to come out from their retreat, and 

 carry off fufficient booty both for themfelves and their flying brethren, before 

 the Dogs can return to prevent them. 



The voracious gluttony of this animal is a linking inftance of the provident 

 care of the great Creator, who has furnifhed it with a difpofition to confume 

 every animal fubftance it meets with. Were it not for the ravenous and 

 infatiable appetite of the Tiger- Wolf, the flowery fields of the Cape would 

 foon become loathfome and disfigured with the carcafes of all kinds of game 

 which graze and die there fucceflively ; they ferve likewife to keep up the 

 neceflary equilibrium in the increafe of the animal kingdom ; fo that it may 

 not exceed the fupplies afforded it by the vegetable part of the creation. 



Dr. Sparrman relates a ftory of this animal, the truth of which he does not 

 vouch, it is, however, diverting enough, we fhall therefore make no apology 

 for introducing it. " One night, at a feaft, near the Cape, a trumpeter, who 

 had got himfelf well filled with liquor, was carried out of doors, in order to 

 cool and fober him. The fcent of him foon attracted a Tiger- Wolf, which 

 threw him on his back, and dragged him along with him like a corpfe, and 

 confequently a fair prize, up towards Table Mountain. Mean time, however, 

 our drunken mufician awaked, fufficiently fenfible to know the danger of his 

 fltuation, and to found the alarm with his trumpet, which he carried fattened 

 to his fide. The wild beaft, as may eafily be imagined, was not lefs frightened 

 in his turn." Any perfon but a trumpeter in inch a fltuation would doubtlefs 

 have furnillied the Tiger- Wolf with a fupper. 



