132 CHAPTER IV. BEASTS OF PREY CONTINUED. THE HYÆNA—THE WILD-CAT-THE CROCODILE (“LEVIATHAN")—THE WILD BOAR-THE Wolf. THE HYÆNA. THOUGH not mentioned by name in our English translation of the Bible, there seems little doubt, that term which has been rendered " 'speckled bird" (Jer. xii. 9), means properly the hyæna. The LXX. render it "The cave of the hyæna," and this interpretation has been followed by Bochart and others. This fierce animal is a native of Africa and the south of Asia; when full grown it attains the size of a large dog or wolf; its hair, which is of a rough wiry texture, imparts to it a shaggy and rugged appearance; a ridge of coarse bristly fur runs along the ridge of the back, and in some measure contributes to give it the ferocious appearance which characterises the animal. Its tail is short and bushy. In the colour there are many varieties of shade, but the general hue is clear fawn; it is, however, invariably striped with darker shades. The hyæna is a solitary animal, and chooses its place of retreat in hidden dens and caverns. It generally remains concealed during the day, but in the night-time it comes forth in quest of prey. Its howl, which is one of the most dismal of sounds, is described as peculiarly affecting, from its very close resemblance to that of a human being in distress. So bold is it in its habits, that it will not hesitate to enter the habitations of man, and to carry off the domestic animals from before his face. When pressed by hunger it seeks access to cemeteries, digs up the dead bodies and greedily devours them. It follows in great numbers the steps of contending armies, and riots on the rich luxuriance of the battle-field. Bruce thus describes this formidable animal from personal observation: "I do not think there is any one who has hitherto written of this animal who ever saw the thousandth part of them that I have. They were a plague in Abyssinia in every situation, both in the city and in the field, and I think surpassed the sheep in number. Gondar was full of them from the time it turned dark to the dawn of day, seeking the different pieces of slaughtered carcases which this cruel and unclean people expose in the streets without burial; and who firmly believe that these animals are Falasha from the neighbouring mountains, transformed by magic, and come down to eat human flesh in the dark in safety. Many a time in the night, when the king had kept me late in the palace, and it was not my duty to sleep there, in going across the square from the king's house, not many hundred yards distant, I have been apprehensive that they would bite me in the leg. They grunted in great numbers around me, though I was surrounded with several armed men who seldom passed a night without wounding or slaughtering some of them. One night, in Maitsha, being very intent in observation, I heard something pass behind me towards the bed, but on looking around could perceive nothing. Having finished what I was then about, |