210 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 
from back and shoulders#&nd mangling him in a frightful 
manner. ‘Tsiampohé 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.” 
Il. THE TRUE CIVETS. GENUS VIVERRA. 
Viverra, Linn., Syst. Nat. ed. 12, vol. 1. p. 63 (1766). 
This, together with several other genera, constitutes a second 
Sub-family ( Viverrine), distinguished by the following features: 
Skull with the auditory bulla conically oval in 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; 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- 
