238 THE CIVET. 



Indies, which is generally less genuine. That which is 

 imported from Guinea, would be the best of any, were it 

 not that the negroes, as well as the Indians and the people 

 of the Levant, adulterate it with mixtures of laudanum, 

 storax, and other balsamic and odorous drugs. 



Those who breed these animals for the sake of their 

 perfume, put them into a long and narrow sort of box, in 

 which they cannot turn. This box the person who is em- 

 ployed to collect the perfume, opens behind, for this pur- 

 pose, twice or thrice a week ; and, dragging the animal 

 which is confined in it, backward by the tail, he keeps it 

 in this position by a bar before. This done, he takes out 

 the civet with a small spoon, carefully scraping with it, all 

 the while, the interior coats of the pouch under the tail, 

 which secretes and contains it. The perfume thus obtain- 

 ed is put into a vessel, and every care is taken to keep it 

 closely shut. 



The quantity which a single animal will afford, depends 

 greatly upon its appetite, and the quality of its nourish- 

 ment. It yields more in proportion as it is more delicately 

 and abundantly fed. Raw flesh hashed small, eggs, rice, 

 small animals, birds, young fowls, and particularly fish, 

 are the food in which the civet most delights. 



As to the rest, the civet is a wild, fierce animal, and 

 though sometimes tamed, is yet never thoroughly familiar. 

 Its teeth are strong and sharp ; but its claws are feeble and 

 blunt. It is light and active, and lives by prey, pursuing 

 birds, and other small animals, which it is able to over- 

 come. It generally attacks at night, and by surprise. 

 They are sometimes seen stealing into yards and out- 

 houses, like the fox, in order to carry off poultry. Their 

 eyes shine in the night ; and it is very probable that they 

 see better by night than by day. When they fail of ani- 

 mal food, they are found to subsist upon roots and fruits. 

 They very seldom drink ; and never inhabit humid ground ; 

 but prefer the burning sands and arid mountains. 



