THE IIYENA. 
369 
off their tails. It would seem, from some 
of Bruce’s anecdotes, that the hyena has the 
same curious habits. Attempts have re¬ 
peatedly been made to tame the lycaon, hut 
without success. The Scotch traveller 
Bruce, who discovered the fountains of the 
Nile, and who resided a long time in Abys¬ 
sinia, tells many stories of these animals. I 
will read you his account. He says,— 
“ i I do not think there is any that hath 
hitherto written of these animals w T ho ever 
saw the thousandth part of them that I 
have. They were a plague in Abyssinia in 
every situation, both in the city and the field, 
and, I think, surpassed the sheep in number. 
Gondar was full of them from the time it 
turned dark till the dawn of day, seeking 
the different pieces of slaughtered carcasses, 
which this cruel and unclean people expose 
in the streets without burial, and who 
firmly believe that these animals are Talassa 
from the neighbouring mountains, trans¬ 
formed by magic and come down to eat 
human flesh in the dark with safety. Many 
a time in the night, when the king hath 
kept me late at the palace, and it was not 
my duty to lie there, in going across the 
