100 ANIMALS OF THE 



the genette is spotted with black, upon a ground 

 mixed with red and grey. It has two sorts of 

 hair, the one shorter and softer, the other longer 

 and stronger, but not above half an inch long on 

 any part of its body, except the tail. Its spots 

 are distinct and separate upon the sides, but 

 unite towards the back, and form black stripes, 

 which run longitudinally from the neck back- 

 wards. It has also along the back a kind of 

 mane, or longish hair, which forms a black streak 

 from the head to the tail ; which last is marked 

 with rings, alternately black and white, its whole 

 length. 



The genette, like all the rest of the weasel 

 kinds, has glands that separate a kind of perfume, 

 resembling civet, but which soon flies off. These 

 glands open differently from those of other ani- 

 mals of this kind ; for, as the latter have their 

 apertures just at the opening of the anus, these 

 have their aperture immediately under it ; so that 

 the male seems, for this reason, to the superficial 

 observer, to be of two sexes. 



It resembles the martin very much in its habits 

 and disposition,* except that it seems tamed 

 much more easily. Belonius assures us, that he 

 has seen them in the houses at Constantinople as 

 tame as cats ; and that they were permitted to run 

 every-where about, without doing the least mis- 

 chief. For this reason they have been called the 

 Cats of Constantinople, although they have little 

 else in common with that animal, except their 



* Buflbn, vol. xix. p. 187. 



