HUNTING THE CIVET. 331 



THE CIVET. 



its native soil, has assigned it its place as a distinct species. It is 

 somewhat larger in size than the pine marten ; its head is Either more 

 slightly depressed, and its muzzle rather more elongated ; the soles 

 of the feet more villous, and finally, the fur on its body is more beauti- 

 ful, soft, long, black, and shining, and the hair turns with ease either 

 way ; the skin is consequently more valuable, and one of them not 

 exceeding four inches broad, has sometimes been valued as high 

 as fifteen pounds. The tails are sold by the hundred, at from four 

 to eight pounds sterling. The exiles in Siberia are required to 

 famish a certain number of skins annually, from which the Rus- 

 sian government is said to derive" a considerable revenue. The 

 smell of the marten tribe is rather agreeable. They are taken in 

 traps and also hunted with the musket. 



The Civet, a native of the warmest climates of Africa and Asia, 

 can yet subsist in more temperate latitudes : it is upwards of two 

 feet in length, exclusive of the tail, which is more than one foot, 

 and tapering. It stands from ten to twelve inches high ; has a 

 lengthened muzzle like a fox, straight ears, whiskers like a cat, with 

 bright eyes. Their fur is of a brownish-grey color, diversified 

 with numerous stripes and . egular spots of black ; along the 

 dorsal runs a kind of mane formed of black hairs, which the 

 animal cftn raise or depress at pleasure. It is a fierce creature, 

 and though tamed, is yet never thoroughly familiar ; its food, like 

 ..hat of the rest of the family, is birds and small animals. The 

 perfume, for which it is particularly valued, is very strong, and i 

 found, of the color and consistence of pomatum, in a pouch unctei 



