DIGITIGRADE CARXIVORA. 



541 



The Civets ' Viverra, seem to complete the chain of relationship 

 between the Dogs and the Cats : like the last, tlieir tongue is rouo-h, 

 and their claws retracted ^Yhilst walking, so that they are always 

 sharp. These animals are provided with a poucli situated under 

 tlie tail, containing a greasy substance, that frequently exhales a 

 strong odonr. 



Fig. 465. — civet. 



The Civet, properly so called ( Viverra Civetta , often erroneously 

 named the ]Musk-cat, yields a scent that fonnerly enjoyed a high 

 reputation. It is a native of Guinea, and the central parts of Africa, 

 but can live in temperate and even in cold climates, and has been 

 accHmatized in Holland, where the inhabitants carry on a consider- 

 able trade in its perfume. 



The Iclineumoii, or Pharaoh's Rat (Viverra Ichneumon'^, is distin- 

 guished by its large eyes, with pupils' elongated transversely ; it is 

 larger than our domestic Cat, but slender like the Weasel, and of 

 a greyish colour. Tliis animal is tlio famous Ichneumon worshipped 

 by the ancient Egyptians, probably on account of the service it 

 renders by destroyiug great numbers of the eggs of the Crocodile ; 

 it lives, liowever, upon all sorts of small animals, and is kept 

 in houses for the purpose of killing mice and other unwelcome 

 intruders. 



The last group of Digitigrade Caruivora is dis- 

 tinguished by having no small teeth whatever, be- 

 hind the lacerators in the lower jaw. In this group 

 are found the most cruel, the most carnivorous, and, 

 on account of their strength, the most formidable of 



