78 



THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



he was let loose would eagerly jump down into 

 the room, when his behaviour became very 

 curious and interesting. He would instantly 



see where the snake was, and rounding his 

 back, and making every hair on his body stand 

 out at right angles, which made his body ap- 

 pear twice as large as it really was, he would 

 approach the cobra on tiptoe, making a 

 peculiar humming noise. The snake, in the 

 meantime, would show signs of great anxiety, 

 and I fancy of fear, erecting his head and 

 hood re, uly to strike when his enemy came 

 near enough. The mongoose kept running 

 backwards and forwards in front of the snake, 

 gradually getting to within what appeared to 

 us to be striking distance. The snake would 

 strike at him repeatedly, and appeared to hit him, but the mongoose continued his comic dance, 

 apparently unconcerned. Suddenly, and with a movement so rapid that the eye could not 

 follow it, he would pin the cobra by the back of the head. One could hear the sharp teeth 

 crunch into the skull, and, when all was over, see the mongoose eating the snake's head and 

 part of his body with great gusto. Our little favourite killed a great many cobras, and, so far as 

 I can see, never was bitten. 



The Egyptian* Mongoose, or Ichneumon, has an equally great reputation for eating the 

 eggs of the crocodile ; and the Kaffir Mongoose, a rather larger South African species, is kept 

 as a domestic animal to kill rats, mice, and snakes, of which, like the Indian kind, it is a deadly foe. 

 There are more than twenty other species, most of much the same appearance and habits. 

 The smooth-nosed mongoose tribe are closely allied creatures in South Africa, mainly bur- 

 rowing animals, feeding both on flesh and fruit. The CusiMANSES of Abyssinia and West Africa 

 are also allied to them. Their habits are identical with the above. 



Phete b) L. Midland, F.Z.S.] [Nirih FinthUf 



TWO-SPOTTED PALM-CIVET 



This is a West African sf teles, which, with an allied form from East 



Africa, represents the pa/m-citets in the Dark Continent 



The Meekkats, or Suricates 



Most people who have read Franl 

 chief pet in Albany Street. The 

 Suricates, or Meekkats, burrow all 

 over the South African veldt, espe- 

 cially in the sandy parts, where they 

 sit up outside their holes like prairie- 

 dogs, and are seen by day. They 

 are sociable animals, and make most 

 amusing pets. A full-grown one is 

 not much larger than a hedgehog, 

 but more slender. It barks like a 

 prairie-dog, and has many other noises 

 of pleasure or anger. A lady, the 

 owner of one, write- in Country Life: 

 " It get- '>n well with the dogs and 

 cats, especially the latter, as they are 

 more friendly to her, and allow her to 

 sleep by their side mm\ on the top ol 

 them. One old cat brings small birds 



Huckland's Life will remember the suricate which was his 



,.,/, F.Z. 1.1 [Nirtk !:■ >:. 



MA SK.K I) PALM-CIVET 



A 'whole-coloured species oj the group 



