86 Q^TJ ADRUPEDS. 



from thofe of other animals of this kind, under the anus, fo that the 

 male feems, on fuperficial obfervation, to be of two fexes. 



Belon afTures us, that he has feen them in the houfes at Conftantinoplc 

 as tame as cats, and employed in fimilar purpofes. The fpecies is not 

 much difFufcd j is found in Spain and Turkey, and part of France ^ re- 

 quires a warm climate j yet is not found in India or Africa. 



THE CIVET. 



» . 



THE civet is found above thirty inches long, Mr. BufFon difcin- 

 guiflies this fpecies into two kinds, the civet and the zibet. The 

 latter differs in being longer, flenderer, the nofe fmaller, the ears longer 

 and broader } no mane or long hair running down the back; the tail 

 longer and better marked with rings of different colours. 



The civet refembles the weafelkind in flendernefs of body, fhortnefs 

 of legs, the odorous matter from the glands behind, the fofcnefs cf its 

 fur, the number of its claws, and their incapacity of being fheathcd. 

 It differs in being larger, the nofe lengthened, the tail long and tapering 

 to a point, and its ears flrait like thofe of a cat. Is commonly afh-co- 

 lourtd, fpotted with black (the female is whiter, tending to yellow) ; and 

 the fpots are much larger, like thofe of a panther j on the belly, and 

 under the throat, is black -, the body black or ftreaked with grey ; is fome- 

 times ftreaked, as tabby cats j has whifkers ; its eye is black aad beautiful. 



The bag, which is the receptacle of the civet, opens under the anus. 

 There is another opening lower down, but of what ufe is not known. 

 The bag is about two inches and a half broad, and two long, covered 

 with ihort hair, large enough to hold a fmall pullet's egg. In this are 

 fmall glands, furnifhing a flrong perfume, of the colour and confiftence 

 of pomatum. 



Is bred among the Turks, Indians, and Africans; alfo in Holland, 

 where they make no fmall gain of its perfume, being reckoned the 

 pureft. It gives in proportion as it is delicately and abundantly fed. 

 Eats raw flefh haflied fmall, eggs, rice, birds, young fowls, and particu- 

 larly fifh. Drinks but rarely, yet urines frequently. The perfume of 

 the civet communicates itfelf to all parts of the animal ; the fur and the 

 /kin preferve the odour long. If a perfon be (hut up with one of them 

 in a clofe room, he cannot fupport the perfume. When irritated, its 



Ice.^t 



