304 NATURAL HISTORY. 



surely happen without the intervention of a hyaena ; 

 and I conclude this article, in order to avoid the re- 

 proach which is due to Pliny, of seeming to take a 

 pleasure in compiling and publishing fables. 



THE CIVET. 



IT has been the opinion of most naturalists, that 

 there is only one species of animals that furnishes the 

 perfume known by the name of civet, I, however, 

 have seen two that furnish it, and which, though re- 

 sembling each other in the essential affinities of con- 

 formation, do yet differ from each other in so many 

 other characteristics, that there is sufficient reason to 

 consider them as forming different species. 



To the first of these animals I have appropriated its 

 original name of civet ; and to the second I have gi- 

 ven that of zibet. 



This latter animal differs from the civet, in having 

 a body longer and smaller, a snout more slender, flat- 

 ter, and somewhat concave at the upper part. Its 

 hair is much shorter and softer. It has no mane, no 

 black under the eyes, or upon the cheeks. All these 



