Hyaena

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

or HYENA, a genus of digitigrade carnivorous quadrupeds, included in the genus Canis by Linnæus, but now referred to the Æluroid division of the Carnivora, of which, however, it is a somewhat aberrant member, forming with Proteles a sub-family, Hyӕnina. Hyenas have six incisors and two canine teeth in each jaw, five molars on each side in the upper jaw, and four in the under. The body is covered with rather long coarse hair, forming a mane along the neck and back. The feet have each four toes. Beneath the anus is a deep glandular pouch, contributing much to the offensive odor by which hyenas are characterized. Hyenas eat carrion as well as newly killed prey, and are of much use as scavengers. They sometimes attack cattle, especially if they flee, but rarely man, though they sometimes seize children. During the day they hide themselves, by night they roam singly or in packs in quest of prey. They prowl about towns and villages, and often dig up corpses that have not been very deeply buried. Hyenas are found only in Africa and extending to the the S. of Asia, not exten farthest E. of the latter continent. The striped hyena (H. striata) is found both and Africa, and there are sevin Asia eral varieties considerably different in size, color, etc. The smallest hyenas of the size of a large dog. The spotted hyena a (H. crocuta) inhabits South Africa. It is rather smaller than the largest varieties of the striped hyena, but is more fierce and dangerous. It is of the called tiger-wolf by the colonists lonists Cape of Good Hope. Besides its ordihyena often indulges nary howling, this this in an expression of gratification, resembling hysterical laughter, whence it has acquired the name of laughing hyena. The general color is ochry gray, with thinly scattered small round brown spots, and sooty muzzle and feet. The woolly hyena (H. brunnea) is a smaller South African species.