396 CIVET. 



remarkably tough and loose skin, with thick hair: 

 this is supposed to be given it as a natural defence 

 against the stings of the bees. Mr. Pennant seems 

 to have confounded this animal with the V. Capen- 

 sis, described in the preceding article. Both spe- 

 cies, indeed, are said to feed on honey, but Sparr- 

 man makes no mention of any offensive effluvia 

 in his description. 



CIVET. 



Viverra Civetta. V. cauda superius maculata, versus apktm 

 fusca, juba castanea, dorso cinereo fuscoyue maculato. Lin. 



Syst.Nat. Gmel.p. 89. 

 Ash-coloured W. spotted with black, with chesnut-coloured 



mane, and dusky tail spotted towards the base. 

 Meles fasciis et maculis albis, nigris & rufescentibus variegata. 



Briss. Quadr. p, 186. 



Felis Zibethi. Gem. Quadr. p. 836. Aldr. dig. 341. 

 Civette. Buff". 9. p. 299. pi. 34. 



THE Viverra Civetta, commonly known by the 

 name of the Civet Cat, is a native of several 

 parts of Africa and India. The general length of 

 this animal, from nose to tail, is something more 

 than two feet, and the tail measures fourteen 

 inches. The ground-colour of the body is yel- 

 lowish ash-grey, marked with large blackish or 

 dusky spots, disposed in longitudinal rows on 

 each side, and sometimes a tinge of ferruginous 

 appears intermixed : the hair is coarse, and along 

 the top of the back stands up, so as to form a 



