THE ICHNEUMON. 



THIS little animal has long attracted the attention of 

 naturalists, and given rise to a number of absurd and ri- 

 diculous stories. It has from time immemorial been domes- 

 ticated in Egypt, where, for its services in destroying the 

 eggs of the crocodile, as well as its young, it was, like sev- 

 eral other beneficial animals, worshipped as an emanation 

 of the Deity. From the estimation in which it was held in 

 that country, it has obtained the appellation of the " Rat of 

 Pharoah." The Ichneumon is generally about the size of 

 the domestic cat, (but rather longer in its body and shorter 

 in its legs) and in Egypt is domesticated like that animal, 

 and kept for the same purposes of destroying rats and mice. 

 In shape it nearly resembles the foumart or pole-cat ; and 

 its fur displays a mixture of tints, white, brown, fawn color, 

 and silver gray. The domestic animal is larger than the 

 wild one, and its colors are more variegated ; its eyes are 

 small and sparkling, and its claws are long. When it goes 

 to sleep, it rolls itself up like a ball. It frequently sits up 

 like a squirrel, catches anything which is thrown to it, and 

 will often lie as if dead, until the prey comes within its 

 reach. This remarkable animal possesses all the strength 

 and agility of the cat, with a stronger propensity for car- 

 nage. It attacks the most deadly serpents, and preys on 

 every noxious reptile ; it darts, with the velocity of an ar- 



