RUSTY SPOTTED GENET (GENETTA RUBIGINOSA). 147 



RUSTY SPOTTED GENET (Genetta rubiginosa). 



Native Names. 



Chinyanja Mwiri. Zulu (Ngoni) .... Simba. 



Chiyao Mbendo. Chibisa Simba. 



Chikunda Kanyongo. Chiwemba Luwawa. 



Food. 

 Eats mice. 



Spoor. 

 Much smaller than that of the jungle cat and more like a miniature leopard or 

 serval than the latter. Claws semi-retractile, do not show in spoor. 



Dung and spoor often met with on pathways, as they use them extensively at 

 night. The dung usually has mice's fur in it. 



Habitat. 

 Lives in the daytime in caves and holes in rocks and trees, but not in the bush. 



Habits. 



Much sought after by the natives as an ornament and skinned in the form of a 

 bag, used for snuff hung at the waist. The Angoni use the tail for dressing the tops of 

 their shields. 



It is caught in a trap, as shown in illustration (facing page 37), set on a pathway. 



In walking the spoor of the hind foot is usually on the top of that of the fore. 



Notes. 



