28 NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



occupation. The fur of this genet is yellowish- 

 brown, richly spotted and streaked with blackish 

 brown ; a black line runs along the spine, and the 

 tail is alternately ringed with black-brown, and 

 yellowish. 1 An examination of the foot will show 

 that G. senegalensis, like the other genets, has a 

 bare space extending some distance along the 

 under surface beyond the foot-pads. The scent 

 gland of the closely-allied civet cats (once famous 

 for their perfume) is represented in the genets by 

 one or two folds in the skin ; at the bottom of 

 these folds are a number of minute orifices which 

 exude an odorous substance. 



The Senegal genet was first known to science 

 from a specimen received from M. le Coupet by 

 the Paris Museum, but the relationship of the 

 various species to each other has not yet been 

 worked out, though obviously all the forms are very 

 closely allied. Owing to their nocturnal habits, but 

 little is known of them in the wild state : they are, 

 however, stated to climb well, and to feed on birds 

 and mice, which they hunt for diligently, prowling 

 about in the long grass, An example of G. tigrina 

 gave birth to three young ones at the London 

 Zoological Gardens, on July 29th, 1874, and 

 amongst the specimens sent home by the late 



i The Senegal genet is a very variable species, and divisible into 

 several local races occurring in various parts of tropical Africa. A 

 fine male specimen of the Dongolan race, taken in the hill country 

 of Erkoweet, near Suakin, lived for several years in the London 

 Zoological Gardens. 



