364 
THE HYENA. 
which keep a constant look-out for it as soon 
as the laying-season commences. When it 
finds an ostrich-egg which it is unable to 
open, it rolls the egg along the ground till 
it encounters a stone large enough to break 
it. Bruce says they climb trees,—which 
seems to be a mistake on his part, as they 
are entirely unadapted to any such purpose. 
He kept one in a cage a long time, and 
states that its principal food was dates and 
sweet fruits, though it never refused eggs, 
and took great pleasure in watching birds. 
It was much alarmed at the approach of the 
cat, and tried to hide itself, but made no 
attempt at self-defence. It was very impa¬ 
tient of confinement, and constantly endea¬ 
voured to escape; and its teeth were so 
sharp that it was very difficult to keep it 
in any cage. It seems to be a pretty and 
cleanly little animal; and its face has an ex¬ 
pression of much intelligence and pene¬ 
tration. 
“¥e now come to the hyena, which is 
one of the ugliest and most repulsive in his 
appearance of any of the carnivora; and it 
seems, from the accounts of those who have 
had a familiar acquaintance with him, that his 
