210 Lloyd's natural history. 



from back and shoulders, and mangling him in a frightful 

 manner. Tsiampohe fell as if struck by lightning. The next 

 moment thirty 'zagaies ' were quivering in the carcase of the 

 fierce creature that had wrought such mischief." 



II. THE TRUE CIVETS. GENUS VIVERRA. 

 Viverra, Linn., Syst. Nat. ed. 12, vol. i. p. 63 (1766). 



This, together with several other genera, constitutes a second 

 Sub-family ( Viverri?ice\ distinguished by the following features: 

 Skull with the auditory bulla conically ovalin form, its hinder 

 border being broad, truncated, and non-everted, while in front 

 it is narrow and compressed, its anterior chamber being very 

 small and flat. An alisphenoid canal generally present. 

 Usually glands in front of the scrotum. Claws curved and 

 generally more or less retractile. Teeth more or less Dog- 

 like ; there being always four pairs of pre-molars, and generally 

 two pairs of molars in each jaw. The upper carnassial tooth 

 has only two lobes to the blade and a large internal tubercle ; 

 while the corresponding lower tooth consists of a blade and a 

 large tubercular posterior heel. The upper molars are triangu- 

 lar in form ; the anterior one being placed entirely behind the 

 carnassial. 



The present genus is distinguished by the upper lip being 

 medianly grooved ; the tail is of considerable length, and 

 marked by dark and light rings ; the feet are completely 

 digitigrade, the tarsus and metatarsus being entirely hairy; 

 and the ears are without tufts. There are two pairs of upper 

 molar teeth ; the throat is marked by a black gorget j and 

 there is generally an erectile crest of elongated hairs down the 

 back; the whole fur being long and loose. The claws are 

 rather short, blunt, and only partially retractile; and the pupil 

 of the eye contracts to a circle. 



The Civets include the largest representatives of the Sub- 



