tx 
WA-KIKUYU 
115 
sepulchres—the hyoenas. These animals belong to the 
same group of Carnivora as the cats and civets, but differ 
from these by their ungainly shape and ugliness. The 
spotted hysena [Hymia crocuta) is the species seen in 
East Africa. 
This beast, when full-grown, is nearly three feet in 
height and nearly six feet from the nose to the tip of 
The spotted hy£eiia, the living sepulchre of the dead 
Masai and Wa-Eiknyn. 
the tail. The hyaena has four toes on each foot, and as 
the claws are non-retractile its footprints are easily 
recognised by the marks of the nails, and by being 
larger than those of the hunting-dog. Its front legs 
are longer than the hind pair. It is difficult to tell the 
sex of a hyaena on superficial examination. The voice 
of the hyaena is extraordinary, on account of the variety 
