THE HYENA. 
13 
THE HYENA. 
the Hyena ; his whole appearance being hateful and ■ 
ugly, beyond that of any other beast. His eyes are wild ( 
and constantly in motion, and he carries his head low, ( 
and keeps his nose near the ground, as though he knew | 
that he was a disgusting animal. 
On what kind of food does he live ? ( 
This creature is as hateful and disgusting in his ac- < 
tions, as he is in his looks. He likes best to eat the 
filthy carcases of animals, when the smell is such that j 
no creature but the Hyena would touch them. He also 
eats bones, which he sometimes digs out of the ground, < 
Does he also destroy living animals for his food ? ■ 
The Hyena, although he eats every carcass that he ■ 
can find, is not therefore the less destructive of such liv- [ 
ing animals as he can master. He is no less cruel and ! 
ferocious than the tiger, and kills without mercy. 
Can the Hyena be tamed ? \ 
Neither kindness nor severity has ever tamed this ) 
wild and ferocious creature. When taken young and ; 
and furious as he grows old. His rage and rapacity can j 
never be subdued, but last during his whole life. 
Where does he live ? ( 
This animal is found in Asia and Africa. His den is / 
among the caverns of the rocks, or in a hole, which he / 
digs for himself in the earth. / 
How does the Hyena take his living prey ? ) 
The Hyena takes his prey like the dog, and wolf, by 
chasing, and running it down. / 
Does this animal ever attack men ? 
He often attacks men, in the country where he lives. ; 
He is so savage and fierce, that he does not even fear the \ 
lion. His jaws are so strong, that he can crush the thigh ; 
bone of an ox, and grind it to powder. ) 
Is this animal of any use to man ? 
We might at first be at a loss to know for what this 
animal was made. But the Creator never made any 
thing without its use. The Hyena is certainly not use- 
3 * 
ful from any wish of his own to do good, for he always 
does all the mischief in bis power. But the same wise 
Being, who made the wrath of man to praise him, has 
seen fit to cause some good to arise, even from so filthy 
and hateful a creature as the Hyena, and that too, from 
the most disgusting part of his character. In that hot 
country where he lives, this animal is very useful in 
carrying away and devouring the carcasses of dead 
beasts, which, were it not for him, would make the air 
unpleasant and sickly; and perhaps this very appetite 
was given him, to convince us that nothing was made 
in vain. 
ANECDOTE I. 
Mr. Bruce says that the Hyenas in Abyssinia are very 
numerous, and so bold that they come into the streets 
of the cities. From evening till towards morning, they 
go howling about, and seeking the carcasses of dead 
animals. Mr. Bruce had several armed men with him, 
when he was obliged to walk in the evening, and very 
often they had to stop, and kill one or more of these ani¬ 
mals, in their own defense. One night while he was 
very busy, he thought he heard something pass behind 
him towards his bed, but on looking around saw nothing. 
Having finished what he was about, he went out for a 
few minutes, and on his return was met with a pair of 
large blue eyes, glaring at him in the dark. When a 
light was brought, he found a Hyena standing near the 
head of hi's bed, with two or three large bunches of can¬ 
dles in his mouth. Mr. Bruce struck him with a pike or 
spear, on which the creature dropped his candles, and 
attacked him with the gieatest ferocity. His servant 
coming in at this moment, the fierce beast was des¬ 
patched without his doing further mischief. This Hyena 
had stolen into Mr. Bruce’s room, while his door hap¬ 
pened to be open, and had hid himself behind his bed, 
to wait for an opportunity of stealing and running away 
with his candles, which he had smelled. 
