15l> CARNIVORA FISSIPEDIA. 



limbed; its feet are semi-palmate and its walk is nearly 

 plantigrade; but what particularly distinguishes it is the 

 spiral inclination of the tail, which is not prehensile. The 

 color is yellowish brown, with spots of a deeper brown; 

 the face, muzzle and part of the tail are blackish; the 

 eyebrows are white, and there is a white spot under the 

 eye. 



The Rasse (Viverra-mallaceensis), also known as the 

 Malaca Weasel, and Lesser Civet, has a greyish brown 

 body about 10 inches long, with small brown spots on 

 the rump forming five longitudinal lines. The tail is 

 shorter than the body and annulated with black and white, 

 the black rings numbering six or seven. The hair is 

 harsher than in the preceding species. This animal is 

 easily irritated, and has a sharp bite. 



Ichneumon (Herpestes-ichneumon). This is an Egyptian 

 animal which hunts out crocodile eggs, and is also 

 known as the Tracker because like all the Mungoose it 

 can track or trace out a footstep. It is a carnivorous 

 animal, classed by Linnaeus as the (Viverra-ichneumon), 

 but is now known as the Herpestes-ichneumon of the fam- 

 ily Viverridae or Civet. 



It has a slender form something like the Weasel. The 

 body is about nineteen inches long, and of a grizzled 

 brownish color. The muzzle and face are black and the 

 tail is tufted; it feeds on small mammals, eggs, reptiles 

 and small birds. It is easily domesticated, and is useful 

 in destroying vermin. The fur has no commercial value, 

 and the species is only mentioned here because of its 

 connection with the Viverridae. 



Another species of Ichneumon or Mungoose (Herpestes- 

 grisius) is so easily domesticated that it is kept in many 

 houses in India to rid them of reptiles, mice, etc. Though 

 small, this Mungoose is absolutely fearless, and its 

 movements are so rapid that the snakes it attacks have 

 no chance to poison it. It is grey in color, flecked with 

 black and about the size of a small cat. 



