Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-03-11
The Hyenn Dog.

Just M the Aard wolf appears to form
the link between the oivets and the hy@nas,
being with some difficulty referred to either
group of animals, so the hunting dog seems
to be the connecting link between the dogs
and hyenas. Its position however, in the
scale of animated nature is 80 very obscure
that it has been placed by some biologists
among tie dogs and by others among the
hyenas. As, however, the leading eharac-
teristic of its formation appears TO tend
rather toward the canine than the hy9nine
type, the.hunting dog has been provision
ally placed at the end of the dogs rather
than at the end of the hy@nas. In its gen
eral aspect there is much of the hy@nine
character. and the creature has often been
mistaken for hyena, 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 in the
hunting dog, and the hinder quarters are
marked by that strange sloping form which
is SO characteristic of the hysena and the
Aard wolf itself The teeth are almost
precisely like those of the dogs, with the
exception of a slight difference in the false
molars, and therefore are quite distinct
from those of the hyenas. But the feet Az
only furnished with four toes instead of
five, which is characteristic of the hyRnas,
and not of the dogs. Severalother remark
able points of structure are found in this
curious animal, some Of them tending TO
give it a position among the dogs, and 9th
ers appearing to refer it to the hyenas.
The general color of the hunting dog is a
reddish or yellowish brown, marked at wide
intervals with large patches of black and
white. The nose and muzzle are black,
and the central line of the head is marked
with well-detined 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 the cavity of the ear. The tail
is covered with long bushy hair, which Is
for the greater part of grayish-white hue,
but is strongly tinged with black near its
insertion. In nearly all specimens there is a
whItish patch below each eye, These tints
are somewhat variable in different individ-
uals, but preserve the same general aspect
in all. There are many names by which
this animal has been called; in the writings
of some authors it is mentioned under the
title of the painted hyena, while by others
it is termed the hyena dog. The Dutch
colonists of the Cape of Good Hope, where
this creature is generally found, speak of II
by the name of wilde hund, or wild dog;
and il in 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 predsceous ami
mails, it prefers the night for its season of
attack, but will frequently undertake
chase in broad daylight For the purpose
of the chase it is well fitted, as il is gifted
with long and agile limbs and with great
endurance of fatigue.