VIVERRA MALACCENSIS. 123 



or streaks on the back and croup; the side spotted more or less in rows; 

 some transverse bands on the sides of the neck, and also a few indistinct 

 lines ; abdomen without spots ; head darker, with a black stripe from the 

 ear to the shoulder ; tail long, with eight or nine complete dark rings. 



Length, head and body, 22 or 23 inches; tail 16 or 17. 



This civet-cat is found over the whole continent of India, from the 

 foot of the Himalayas to Cape Comorin and Ceylon, and extends through 

 Assam and Burmah to the Malayan peninsula and islands. It lives in 

 holes in the ground or in banks, occasionally under rocks, or in dense 

 thickets, now and then taking shelter in drains and out-houses. 



Mr. Hodgson says, "these animals dwell in forests or detached woods 

 and copses, whence they wander freely into the open country by day 

 (occasionally at least) as well as by night. They are solitary and single 

 wanderers, even the pair being seldom seen together, and they feed 

 promiscuously upon small animals, birds' eggs, snakes, frogs, insects ; be- 

 sides some fruits or roots. In the Terai a low caste of woodmen, called 

 Musahirs, eat the flesh." The female has six ventral teats, and has 

 usually four or five young at a birth. It is frequently kept in confine- 

 ment in India, and becomes quite tame, contrary to what Horsfield says 

 of it in Java. I have had several myself perfectly tame, that caught rats 

 and squirrels at times, as also sparrows and other birds. The civet is 

 extracted by the natives from these kept in confinement. 



The Genets, Genetta, Cuvier, have the pouch very small, and the secre- 

 tion scarcely discernible, the claws quite retractile, and the pupil vertical. 

 They are smaller and more slender animals than the Civets, with the 

 markings generally more pronounced. There are several species, all 

 African, and one extending to the South of Europe. 



Near the Genets should be placed the next animal, which at one time 

 was classed along with the Felince. 



Gen. PRIONODON, Horsfield. 

 Syn. Linsang, Miiller. 



Char. Molars -ZL. ; false molars three-lobed or serrated ; body slen- 

 6 6 



der ; limbs short ; tail very long, cylindrical ; feet with the claws quite 

 retractile ; a fifth toe on the hind feet ; thumbs of both feet approximate 

 to the other digits ; soles all well furred. 



No anal pouch is present, and the tongue is rough with retroverted 



