West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-02-21
The Hyena Dog.

Just as the Aard wolf appears TO form
the link between the civets and the hypnas.
being with some difficulty referred To either
group of animals, 50 the hunting dog seems
to be the connecting link between the dogs
and hy9nas Its position, however, i'm the
scale of animated nature Is So very obscure
that IL has been placed 10y some BIOLOGISTS
among the dogs and by others among the
hyenas. As, however, the leading charao-
teristic of its formation appears to tend
rather toward the canine than the hymnine
type, the hunting dog has been provision
ally placed at the end OF the dogs rather
than at the end of the hy0nas In its gon-
eral aspect there is much of the hy@nine
character, and the creature has often been
mistaken for hyGna, and described under
that name. There is, however, less of the
hyenine type than is seen in the Aard wolf,
for the peculiar ridge of hair that decorates
the neck of the hyena is absent i'm the
hunting dog, and the hinder quarters are
marked 10y that strange sloping form which
is SO characteristic OF the hyiena and the
Aard wolf itself. The teeth are almost
precisely like those of the dogs, with the
exception of slight difference i'm the false
molars, and therefore are quite distinct
from those of the hy9nas. But the feet m o
only furnished with four toes instead of
five, which is n characteristic of the hymnas,
and not of the dogs. Several other remark
able points of structure are found i'm this
curious animal, some of them tending to
give il a position among the dogs, and 9TH
ers appearing to refer il to the hymnas.
The general color of the hunting dog is a
reddish or yellowish brown, marked at wido
intervals with large patches of black and
white The nose and muzzle are black,
and the central line OF the head is marked
with welldefined black stripe, which
reaches TO the back Of the head. The ears
are extremely large, and are covered on both
their faces with rather short black hairs
From their inside edge rises large tuft OF
long white hair, which spreads over and
nearly fills tho cavity OF the ear. The tail
Is covered with long bushy hair, which IL
for the greater part of grayish- white hue,
but is strongly tinged with black near its
insertion. I'm nearly all specimens there is a
whitish patch below each eye. These tints
are somewhat variable i'm different individ-
uals, but preserve the same general aspect
i'm all There are many names by which
this animal has been called; i'm the writings
OF some authors it is mentioned under the
title of the painted hynna, while by others
II is termed the hygna dog The Dutch
colonists of the Cape of Good Hope, where
this creature is generally found speak of il
by the name of wilde hund, or wild dog;
and it is also known under the names of
simir and melbia. Its title of hunting dog
is earned by its habits of pursuing game by
fair chase, and uniting in packs of consid-
erable numbers for that purpose. AS is the
case with the generality of predaceous ami
mails, il prefers the night for its season of
attack, but will frequently undertake
chase in broad daylight. For the purpose
of the chase il is well fitted, as it is gifted
with long and agile limbs and with great
endurance of fatigue.