200 THE SQUASH. 



said to find an antidote in a certain root: it is not only 

 destructive to the eggs of the crocodile, but makes 

 an attack upon all the young, and for this cause was 

 formerly so highly estimated by the Egyptians, that 

 they absolutely worshipped it, believing that every 

 thing which proved serviceable to mankind was an 

 emanation of the Divine Power. 



THE SQUASH. 



This animal is about the size of a polecat, and is 

 chiefly found in the New World ; its hair is long, and 

 of a deep brown, with a streak of white running along; 

 the back. The most remarkable thing about the squash 

 is the foetid and disgusting smell, which is extremely 

 obnoxious both to man and beast, and will absolutely 

 taint the purest air. The habitudes of this quadruped 

 resemble the rest of the weasel kind, as it preys upon 

 animals that are less than itself : like the polecat, it 

 burrows in the clefts of the rocks, for the purpose of 

 bringing forth its young ; it often steals into the farm- 

 yard, and kills the poultry for the sake of their brains, 

 seldom tasting any other part. 



THE GENETi 



From the squash, which is the most offensive ani- 

 mal in nature, we come to one that affords a most 

 agreeable perfume, and, though not quite so strong 

 as that of the civet, is generally thought more pleasing 

 to the smell. 



The genet is somewhat less than the martin, though 

 they sometimes vary very much in size : the fur of this 

 animal is beautifully soft, and is a mixture of red and 

 grey, spotted with black : along the back it has a kind 

 of mane of long hair, which forms a black streak 



