“To show clearly the preference of the Spotted Hyena for human flesh,” says Steedman, “it will be necessary to observe that the Mambookies build their houses in the form of bee-hives, and tolerably large, often eighteen or twenty feet in diameter; at the higher or back part of the house, the floor is raised until within three or four feet of the front, where it suddenly terminates, leaving an area from thence to the wall, in which every night the calves are tied, to protect them from storms or wild beasts. Now, it would be natural to suppose that should the Hyena enter, he would seize the first object for his prey, especially as the natives always lie with the fire at their feet; but notwithstanding this, the practice of this animal has been in every instance to pass by the calves in the area, and even the fire, and take the children from under the mother’s caress; and this in such a gentle and cautious manner that the parent has been unconscious of her loss until the cries of the poor little innocent have reached her from without, when hopelessly a prisoner in the jaws of the monster.”
THE HUNTING HYENAS.
The Hunting Hyena was first described by Mr. Burchell. It is smaller and of a more slender shape than either the Striped or the Spotted Hyena; the ground color of its body is sandy, shaded with darker hair, varied with irregular blotches of black, and spots of white. In its teeth it resembles the Dog; but, on the other hand, it approaches the Hyenas in having only four toes on each foot.
Mr. Burchell was fortunate in bringing home a living specimen, which he kept chained up for more than a year. At first it was so ferocious that no one attempted to tame it; but at length its manners became softened, and it used to play with a Dog chained up in the same yard; yet still the man who fed it never dared to venture his hand within its reach. Mr. Burchell informs us that in a wild state this animal hunts in packs; though in general it hunts at night, it frequently pursues its prey by day, and as it is very fleet, none but the swiftest animals can escape it. Sheep and oxen are particularly objects of its attacks, the first openly, the latter only by surprising them in their sleep and suddenly biting off their tails, a mode of attack for which the wide gape and great strength of its jaws are peculiarly adapted. This species is found throughout Africa.
THE CAT FAMILY.
All the different animals of this great family are alike in having short, powerful jaws armed with sharp teeth, and a rough bristling tongue, which feels like a rasp when it is drawn across the bare skin—wounding by mere licking; in their manner of walking on their toes, and in several other characteristics. The fiercest beasts of all the carnivorous animals are found in the Felidae family, which includes three groups—the Cat tribe, the Lynx and the Hunting Leopard. The Cat tribe includes, in the Old World, the Lion, Tiger, Panther, Leopard, Ounce, Serval, and Wild and Domestic Cats. In the New World are found the Domestic Cats, the Jaguar, Puma and Ocelot.
All these animals in the wild state prefer to feed on living victims, devouring their prey as they kill it. Although the various animals belonging to this great family differ much in size, they are all alike in their mode of attacking and killing their victims. They usually take them by surprise, for they do not have so much courage as people sometimes think. Crouched in some hidden retreat, they silently and patiently await their prey; and as soon as within reach, they spring upon it from behind, without allowing time for escape or defence.
WILD AND DOMESTIC CATS.
WILD CATS.