The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-02-27

said that the Flurodea group to which they
belong is marked of from those which are rep
resented by dogs and cats through the presence
Of anatomical Uecuiarities, Of which the follow
ing is an outline: Hyeuas, cats proper aud
Niverridp. or civets. which stand between 70
two former families arc distinguished irUtn
those 20 which bears aud dogs belong by hay
ing q large bong she'll to the ear This IS also
smooth, usually divided into two chambers,
ana the external passage of the organ Is short
Waving minor diderent:ations, the abbreviated
and iaorc simple intestinal tract Of carniyOfa in
general is here exempifed by short, un-
complicated caecum. which in some instances Is
absent; by teeth which are less differentiated
than in CanidR or Zelda, aud by the exist
ence Of from 30 to s. bones in the vertebral
column Tie regions Of the spine are likewise
distinctive. ia eats the length Of the neck is
about one 9Th Of the entire length Of the body
between the point where the head ends aud the
Tail begins. With civets this dimension is var
liable, but among hyenas IL may exceed three
feeble longer, IN fact, than 10 j. IN the tiger.
Generally there are niue pairs Of ribs, though
there may be less or more. Likewise the pull
monary lobes are OF a variable number among
the members Of this 81 per. family. A spotted
hyenas for example, has = trIl0bate left lung.
while in tigers. le0pards aud pumas 10 is BLOB
ular. The breast bone is formed OF Eve pieces,
and in all eluraids there are threc iHcis0r teeth
CT each SIDE Of both jaws, Of which the outer is
longer iu hyenas than in EeiGse. There Is
also considerable difference OF appearance
and size among tic species Of the whole group,
as there j. Likewise - the shape of The stomach
aud other structural features. but all its mem
beers are provided with al least two anal glands
Considering the Hyanida by themselves
they are, with single exception-the long
legged, timid, burTOwing. incoDpetely differ
eutiated
"AAKD WOLF" o. AFRICA,
who is rally a low-casie lyena-all large and
powerful animals with short strong laws Of
tbc feiac pattern. aud with fidged skulls for
tie attachment Of those massive muscles that
move them. Their action is limited 70 a nearly
vertical plane. ~ IA other caruiy0rOus animals
who do Hot IuIcst material requiring grinding
and in whom digestion really begins in the
stomach. Upon the whole, however Eyenas
arc not such exclusive Aesh-eaters a. cats aud
this fact s eviBced in the less specialized char
aeter u their teeth, which iA accordance with
Tie animals habit % feeding upon ofal are
adapted 70 crushing the bones which this scay-
enEer q the Last constantly IL not mainly,
Eulslsts upon. True hyeuas have - teeth they
are AL Gigitigrade. have five toes ia front and
fOBr behind, their claws are blunt and fixed,
aud, ~ rule their f0Feiegs are shorter than
b. the case with .EGrOidea So general More
over, the CARS are erect and pointed. the tongue
Tougb. the eyes large aud prominent, the muz-
zie narrow. aud tic tail short aud bushy. Two
genera and three species II cEtant hyenas are
recognized 81 zoology Hyena, the striped ami
maj, and CrDcuta Or the spotted African form.
Apart from differences ia celebration. the first ol
these species feTs from CrOcuta ia IT, dent
Though not materially, inthe character Of is
EGD-snal glands. aud in the more noticeable
trait tHat tie fore aud hind limbs are nearly
81 tire same length. At present the hycua i
confined % Asia aud Africa. but during the last
glacial period. Or Oh the last occasion when
the pull O! gravity eZericG by tic suu aud
planets caused the orbit o. the earth 10 become
- czcentFlc that an arctic climate prevailed in
the temperate regions II the northern hemis
phere striped hycBas existed IN Europe, ~ did
also the cave OF spotted form Of PicistOccut
times whose fossil bones are found in England
France, Germany, aud the Hinalayas associ
atcd WA those Of the sabcr-toolhed lion and
great cave bear, the primeyal elephant, wools
riih'ccros with clambefed nostriis, aud th'
Quategnary OK.
Regarding those Lyenas inhaliting Africa
There is nearly maHeless animal whose brown
cost is ciOuaed with black 10 the Cane district
aud which Is also marked by q congidersL l,
compression Of The braiH-case by transverse
black bands Oh the legs aud by hair GROWN,
o. the length VI eight or ten inches on iis lacl
Gnd sides. On the other hand, the spotted
Lyena, whose range is limited 10 South Africa
aud which is rather smaller ti.aa the stripet
species. carries pciage Of yeilowish- brown
hEe- upon which deep-bf0wn spots arc set II
rows. its hair Is shorter than j. the case witt
thleI Tue Cape Or striped species, and IL ha
Jess aanc than tie latter But its hind legs ar
actually shorter than the foreliubs. wberea
"a u. strata they only seem u be 30 from al
llusifc appearance produced by the name IL
neck Is also both relatively aud absolutely
much extended, and he region Of the Ioins /
EAort-Iess tban ta0-Gnhs Of the dorsal leugtl
--a feature which markedly distinguishes
from tie wildcat, ia whom the Ioins are longe
than the back Both sexes Of this ;pluroid &c
semibie each other SO closely as 10 have give
rise among other supcsEtitions 10 the fabl
TIA. this animal was herman broditc, aud tia
potue lla!csOr females existed among spottc
byenas.
OtEe- prolific sources II fantastic and suBer
natural tales concerning this creature as we
a. rs coageuers, may he fonHi ia the Gcstrnc
lrs and disgusting hahils Of III lis species, an
also ia the tones Of voice Q! which