380 ICHNEUMON; 



a native of India, and the other of Africa. Both 

 agree in their general appearance, but the Egyp- 

 tian variety is considerably larger than the In- 

 dian; measuring more than forty inches from the 

 nose to the end of the tail; whereas the Indian 

 Ichneumon scarce exceeds two thirds of this 

 length: exclusive of size alone, the ^Egyptian 

 Ichneumon is distinguished by having the tail 

 slightly tufted at the end, which the oth^r has 

 not; and from this circumstance it is placed, 

 in the Gmelinian edition of the Systema Naturae, 

 as a distinct species. The Ichneumon is of a 

 pale reddish-grey colour, each hair being mottled 

 with brown or dusky, so that the whole appears 

 speckled in the manner of the hair on some of the 

 larger Baboons. The eyes are of a bright red or 

 flame-colour: the ears rounded, and almost na- 

 ked: the nose long and slender: the body rather 

 thicker than in most others of this genus; and 

 the tail is very thick at the base, and from thence 

 gradually tapers almost to a point : the legs are 

 short : the hair on the whole animal is hard and 

 coarse, and it varies somewhat as to the depth 

 and cast of its colours in different individuals. In 

 India, but still more in jgypt, the Ichneumon 

 has always been considered as one of the most 

 useful and estimable of animals ; since it is an in- 

 veterate enemy to serpents, rats, and other nox- 

 ious creatures which infest those regions. In India 

 it attacks, with the greatest eagerness and cou- 

 rage, that most dreadful reptile, the Cobra de 

 Capello, or hooded Snake, and easily destroys it. 



