i3 
The Spotted Hyaena (. Hyana crocuta ) and the Striped 
Hyaena (Hycena striata ) are members of the Family Hyanickz , 
consisting of themselves and the Brown Hyaena, of which 
the Society does not, as yet, possess a specimen. They are 
readily distinguished from the dogs, which they somewhat re¬ 
semble, by the excess of length in the fore over the hind 
limbs. Their molar teeth are unusually strong and the jaw 
muscles are very powerful, thus enabling them to crush with 
ease large bones, which they devour. 
The Striped Hyaena inhabits both Africa and India, and 
presents a marked appearance by reason of a mane or crest of 
hair, running the length of the spine, and which it has the 
power to raise at will, probably for the purpose of increasing 
its apparent bulk and giving to itself a more frightful appear¬ 
ance, thereby deterring from an attack those enemies which 
would otherwise overcome and destroy it. It is more cow¬ 
ardly in disposition and solitary in habit than the Spotted 
Hyaena, which is confined to the southern part of Africa. 
A great deal is currently believed of the Hyaena which is 
without doubt much exaggerated; for instance, its reputation 
of being a persistent and incorrigible ghoul, which has passed 
so generally into belief that skulls and tombstones are usually 
introduced as background in portraits of the unfortunate ani¬ 
mal—the truth being that the Hyaena seems to be closely on 
a par with the dogs and wolves in the matter of diet, prefer¬ 
ring its bones fresh, and eating carrion only when it is much 
more convenient to get at. 
The Viverridce, is a large family of carnivorous mammals of 
small size, all resembling more or less the Civets in appear¬ 
ance and habits; they are of active and graceful movements, 
many of them living much among trees; all feeding upon 
smaller quadrupeds, birds, eggs, and reptiles. They chiefly 
inhabit Africa and southern Asia, one species each being found 
in Europe and America. 
Among them are the Indian Civet ( Viverricula indica), 
the Palm Cat ( Paradoxurus musanga ), the Common Para- 
doxure (. Paradoxurus typus ), the Gray Ichneumon (. Her - 
pestes griseus) from India and the surrounding islands, the 
Dusty Ichneumon ( Herpestes pulverulentus ) from South Af¬ 
rica, and the beautiful Civet Cat or Ring-tailed Bassaris 
( Bassaris astuta ) of Texas and Mexico. It is probable that 
the latter animal possesses affinities which ally it more closely 
