The HYÆNA.
Is in length about four feet, in form between the wolf and hog; the head reſembling the wolf’s, but rather ſhorter, and black from the noſe to juſt above the eyes; the colour a greyiſh brown, marked down the body and legs with darker ſtripes, inclining to black; ſtands remarkably high before, and low behind, being in front about three feet and a half, and behind about two feet and a half high; is very lank or thin in the body, with a ridge of briſtles like a hog, all along the ſpine, and a bruſh tail.
The Hyæna is a remarkably unſociable and ſolitary animal, dwelling in the holes and chaſms of rocks, or in dens which it has formed in the earth; it is found in high, mountainous countries, in the mountains of Caucaſus, the Atlantic chain, parts of Syria, Perſia, and Barbary, the moſt dreary and ſterile parts of the Torrid Zone, of which, ſays Mr. Buffon, it is a native.
This animal poſſeſſes great ſtrength of body, and fierceneſs of courage; it will reſiſt the attacks of the Lion—(Kaempfer relates that he ſaw one which had put two Lions to flight)—he never declines a combat with the fierceſt of the foreſt, and ſeldom fails to conquer—poſſeſſing great cruelty and fierceneſs, he is generally reckoned untamable. Mr. Buffon mentions to have ſeen one, and Mr. Pennant another in a domeſtic ſtate; the latter Gentleman thinks, if taken very young, they may be reclaimed by good uſage, but obſerves, they are commonly kept in a ſtate of ill humour by the provocations of their maſter.
Hunger ſeems ever to torment them with an inſatiable voracity; they greedily devour whatever comes in their way, and will even root up the contents of the grave, and with a keen appetite conſume the putrid corps.
The ancients had very ſtrange notions of this animal, believing that it changed ſex every year; this opinion, no doubt, originated from the tranſverſe orifice which is between the tail and the anus: they alſo believed that a ſtone was found in the eye which imparted the power of prophecy. Mr. Shaw, in his travels into Barbary, obſerves, the Arabs always bury the head of this animal, whenever they kill one, leſt it ſhould be applied to purpoſes of magic; it was alſo believed, the Hyæna had the property of imitating the human voice, and thereby ſeduce unwary travellers within its power; this the experience of modern times does not confirm, yet a gentleman told us, he once heard one make a noiſe reſembling the laughing of a man, when the keeper had juſt given him ſome proviſion, which he made as if going to take away—this was, probably, no more than a note of diſpleaſure, which every animal poſſeſſes, ſuch as the growl of a cat with a mouſe when any one approaches.—To conclude, no words can convey an adequate idea of the voracious and fierce aſpect of the Hyæna, or of his uncouth, ill-formed ſhape.
