THE WEASEL KIND. 87 



fcent is violent j if it be made to fweat, this alfo isaftrong perfume, and 

 ferves to adulterate or increafe what is otherwife obtained from it. 



The civet is faid to be wild and fierce j though fometimiCs tamed^ 

 never familiar. Its teeth ftrong and cutting; its claws feeble. Light and 

 adive; it purfues birds and fmall animals. Their eyes fhine in the 

 night; probably they fee bed in the dark. They breed very fall in 

 their native climates. 



THE GLUTTON, 



WHICH Linnseus places among the weafels, from the fimilitude 

 of its teeth ; to this agrees its length o^ body, its (hortnefs of legs, 

 the foftnefs of its fur, its difagreeable fcent, and its infatiablc appetite 

 for animal food. Mr. Pennant, however, ranks it among the bears. 



Is about twenty-eight inches from nofe to tail ; the fore legs about 

 one foot from the extremity of the nails to the body ; the hind legs 

 fomewhat longer ; the tail eight inches, including four inches of hair at 

 the end ; the muzzle black to the eye-brows ; from the eye-brows fo 

 the ears, white mingled with brown ; ears one inch long ; front of its 

 body fpotted with white ; the legs, tail, belly, and back, black j fides of 

 a yellowilh brown ; interior fur or down, white ; five very crooked claws, 

 better fitted for climibing trees than for running along the ground; is 

 found in the north of Europe and Siberia, and in North- America, where 

 it is named the Carcajou. 



In America, this voracious creature lurks among the thick branches 

 of trees to furprife the deer. Endued with patience equal to its rapaci- 

 ty, fingles out trees marked by the teeth or the antlers of deer, and 

 there remains watching. When the elk or the rein-deer pafs, it darts 

 down upon them, (licks its claws between their fhoulders, and there re- 

 mains. In vain the frighted animal increafes its fpecd, or threatens 

 with its horns ; drives rapidly among the thickeft woods^ and ftrikes 

 againft the largeft trees. It never feizes without bringing down its 

 prey, unlefs it plunges into water, which the glutton fears. The deer, 

 feeble with lofs of blood, falls, and the glutton compenfates former ab- 

 ftinence, by prefent voracity. It is indeed amazing hc«v much one of 

 thefe animals can eat at a time ! That feen by Mr. Klein, though in cap- 

 tivity, ate thirteen pounds of flefh daily, yet remained unfatisfied. 



Q^z Mr. 



