t14 account of the civet. Nov. 28. 
vities and anus in both sexes. Numbers of them ave 
kept in Holland for the purpose of yielding this drug. 
Those who keep them, provide for them a box for 
an habitation, and procure the mufk by scraping the 
inside of the box twice or three times a week 
with an iron spatula; and get about a drachm at each . 
time. The quantity varies with its food. Boiled 
fleth, eggs, rice, small animals, birds, and especially 
-fith, are the kinds of food the civet most delights in ; 
and these ought to be varied so as to excite its appe- 
tite, and preserve its health. The male yields the 
most ; especially if it has been previously irrita- 
ted. 
A remarkable peculiarity of this animal is, that the 
male is not to be distinguifhed from the. female ; for 
in the male nothing appears externally but three a- 
pertures, so perfectly similar to those of the female, 
that it is impofsible to distinguifh the sex otherwise 
than by difsection. From this circumstance it has 
-been supposed that this is the hyena of the ancients ; 
and it is certain that most of the fables related 
concerning that monster, are in a certain way ap- 
plicable to the civet, 
The colour of the civet varies, but it is usually 
afh, spotted with black ; though in the female it is 
whiter and tending te yellow, and the spots are lar- 
ger, like those of the panther, 
The civet.is a fierce animal, and though capable of 
being tamed in some degree, is never thoroughly fa- 
miliar. It is a native of India, the Philippine islands, 
Guinea, Ethiopia, and Madagascar ; but it can bear 
even the cold of Europe. In their native climate, 
