SPECIES OF MAMMALS OF THE PACIFIC AREA 87 



Fig. 36 — Malay Civet 



of the tail. The tail is ringed with black and white or gray, the 

 dark rings connected by a black line along the greater part 

 of the upperside. In some specimens the interspaced light rings 

 are indistinct. The Malay civet, including the foot-long tail, is 

 about three feet long. This small species occurs from the Malay 

 peninsula and the Philippines to Ceram and the Moluccas. 



The Asiatic Civet {Viverra zibetha) is found from China 

 south throughout southeastern Asia. The civet scent of com- 

 merce is obtained from the musk glands of these animals, which 

 are believed in some cases to have been introduced on islands 

 for the sake of the perfume. The civets are terrestrial, fre- 

 quently making their homes in burrows. They are reputed to 

 be poultry thieves. 



The Little Civet {Viverricula malaccensis) is about the same 

 size as the Malay civet. Its name is thus misleading in the 

 East Indies, though true in India and Burma. The length of 

 head and body is about twenty-two inches, of the tail fourteen 

 inches. It appears to be a shorter-legged, longer-bodied, longer- 

 tailed, more weasel-like animal thafl the Malay civet. The color 

 is gray, with brown markings. It lacks the dorsal mane of the 

 Malay civet. Five brown stripes generally extend along the back 

 from behind the shoulders to the base of the tail. Black stripes 

 extend on the throat and along the sides of the body, and along 



