RARE AND UNFAMILIAR ANIMALS 303 



drawing attention to, as well as the moustaches and the piercing 

 eyes. In colour Pallas's Cat may be described as varying from 

 silver-grey to yellowish-buff, with lighter or darker on different parts 

 of the body, some stripes on the loins, perhaps a few bands on the 

 limbs, a dark ringed tail, and, of course, a pair of transverse streaks 

 on the cheeks, these being easily distinguished in the picture of 

 this Cat. 



PALM CIVETS.— The Palm Civets — represented in the illustrations 

 by the one solitary African species (Fig. 246) — are known also as 

 Tree Cats or Toddy Cats. With the exception of the African Palm 

 Civet all the species are restricted to Asia, and they are practically 

 devoted to an arboreal life. They are also nocturnal beasts, feeding 

 both on animal and vegetable food, for procuring which their teeth 

 are admirably suited. The tails of these Palm Civets are long 

 appendages, measuring in the majority of species more than half 

 the length of the head and body. The name of Toddy Cats has been 

 applied to these animals because, like the Fox-Bats, they display a 

 strong liking for palm-juice, or toddy as it is popularly called, 

 which the natives collect by means of vessels hung on the trees. 

 Palm Civets have the curious habit of emitting a distasteful odour 

 when they are irritated, presumably for protective purposes. 



GENETS.— The Rusty-Spotted Cat of India— the smallest member 

 of the Cat tribe — must not be confused with the Rusty-Spotted Genet 

 (Fig. 247), or vice versa, as the case may be. The Genets are close 

 relatives of the Civets, but are to be distinguished by the still more 

 slender bodies, shorter legs, longer tails, etc. 



The Rusty-Spotted Genet illustrated in Fig. 247 came from 

 Northern Rhodesia, but there are many species which reside in other 

 parts of Africa. There are four species found in the continent which 

 do not occur elsewhere, indeed only the Common Genet occurs 

 outside Africa. Genets have close-cropped and soft fur, the general 

 coloration being either greyish or brownish-yellow. There is a 

 black line along the centre of the back; there are also brown or black 

 spots on the sides, light and dark markings on the head, and black 

 rings on the tail. 



CAPE HYRAX, OR KLIP-DAS.— Very few people on being asked 

 what kind of animal the Cape Hyrax (Fig. 248) was would be able 

 to give a correct answer. Most of them would probably call it "a 

 kind of Rabbit or Rat," but it may be known by means of its feet. 

 It is a delightfully entertaining little beast, and is first cousin, if 



