1888-89 ] Tlie Ichneumon or Mungoos. 257 



charmed existence, but succumbs to the effects of the poison ; 

 though, at the same time, it may be that it is less susceptible 

 to a snake-bite than most other animals. The truth really is, 

 however, that the mungoos is so quick and active in its move- 

 ments that it is impossible for the snake to touch it ; and so 

 confident is the little animal in its own powers, that it appears 

 to delight in tormenting the poor reptile — dodging out of the 

 way of its fangs at the very time when it looked as though 

 escape was impossible. In these encounters with the snake, 

 the mungoos quietly waits his opportunity, and when the 

 reptile has tired himself by lashing out at his opponent, the 

 little animal, pouncing suddenly on the serpent, seizes it by 

 the head, and shakes it as a terrier does a rat until it is killed. 

 So much for the mungoos abroad ; now for a short account 

 of him in captivity. The mungoos in question was of the 

 Indian species, and was brought to this country by an 

 engineer on board one of the P. and 0. steamers. His owner 

 seldom came into port without having in his possession a 

 regular menagerie of animals of one kind or another, and 

 he was often hurt at the doubtful manner in which his gifts 

 were received on the occasions of the breaking up of his 

 collections by the arrival of the ship at its destination. On 

 one occasion he called upon a friend and left with him a 

 couple of monkeys, a cockatoo, two parakeets, and several 

 curious-looking animals in a cage, with an intimation that he 

 would call back and see to their disposal in the course of the 

 afternoon. To his friend's intense horror, however, day after 

 day passed without the owner of the animals turning up ; 

 and, as one may well suppose, the responsibility of keeping 

 a couple of monkeys, loose, in a room full of furniture, made 

 life a burden, so that in self-defence a cab was procured, 

 and the whole collection transferred bodily to the Zoological 

 Gardens. The mungoos on the voyage home had the run 

 of the ship, but always shared his master's berth when the 

 hour for retiring to rest arrived. When the presentation 

 took place, my friend confesses that he was rather afraid of 

 the mungoos, but the animal's master buttoned it up in his 

 coat front, and carried it in this way to the railway station. 

 It may, however, be better now to let my friend tell his story 

 in his own way. He says : " When I got home with the 



