WEASEL KIND. 103 



parts of the body are black or streaked with grey. 

 This animal varies in its colour, being sometimes 

 streaked, as in our kind of cats called Tabbies. 

 It has whiskers, like the rest of its kind ; and its 

 eye is black and beautiful. 



The opening of the pouch or bag which is the 

 receptacle of the civet, differs from that of the 

 rest of the weasel kind, not opening into, but 

 under the anus. Besides this opening, which is 

 large, there is still another lower down ; but for 

 what purposes designed, is not known. The 

 pouch itself is about two inches and a half broad, 

 and two long ; its opening makes a chink from 

 the top downwards, that is about two inches and 

 a half long ; and it is covered on the edges, and 

 within, with short hair : when the two sides are 

 drawn asunder, the inward cavity may be seen, 

 large enough to hold a small pullet's egg; all 

 round this are small glands, opening and furnish- 

 ing that strong perfume which is so well known, 

 and is found, in this pouch, of the colour and 

 consistence of pomatum. Those who make it 

 their business to breed these animals for their 

 perfume, usually take it from them twice or thrice 

 a-week, and sometimes oftener. The animal is 

 kept in a long sort of a box, in which it cannot 

 turn round. The person, therefore, opens this 

 box behind, drags the animal backwards by the 

 tail, keeps it in this position by a bar before, and 

 with a wooden spoon takes the civet from the 

 pouch as carefully as he can ; then lets the tail 

 go, and shuts the box again. The perfume thus 

 procured is put into a vessel, which he takes 



