THE STRIPED MUISHOND OR STINK CAT 



The mission in life of the muishond is a good and 

 useful one. Like all the weasel tribe, it is a most 

 bloodthirsty creature. Nothing comes amiss to 

 it. Insects are sought out among the herbage 

 and devoured, or if the soil abounds in their larvae 

 it digs dov^n after them. The large v^hite grubs 

 found in manure heaps, which are the larvae of the 

 Rhinoceros Beetle, are an especial dainty, and, in 

 consequence, if heaps of manure are in the vicinity 

 of its lair, the muishond visits them nightly, and 

 at these times may easily be captured with the aid 

 of dogs. 



The powers of scent possessed by the muishond 

 are superior to those of the bloodhound. Once 

 upon the track there is little chance of ultimate 

 escape for the hunted creature. 



The muishond is a slow runner, and when it 

 startles a hare the latter is off at a bound. The 

 pursuer is m no hurry. It does not even trouble to 

 raise its head to see which direction the hare 

 has taken, but, with tail bent over its back and nose 

 to the ground, it starts off on the trail at a slow trot. 

 Time and again the hare is startled by the sudden 

 apparition of its dreaded enemy, until eventually 

 the creature gets so terrified that it becomes dazed ; 

 and when the muishond again appears it either hops 

 around aimlessly or else throws itself upon its side 

 and screams shrilly. The implacable hunter in- 

 stantly seizes it by the throat, and the sharp canine 

 teeth soon cut through the jugular vein. The 



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