100 



VIVEKRIDJE. MAMMALIA. VIVEKRIDJE. 



pentadactylous feet, armed with acute semi-retractile 

 claws. A solitary glandular pouch exists in the anal 

 region. The general aspect of the fur is tawny grey, 

 prettily marked with dark-brown or blackish spots, in 

 addition to which there are eight dark-coloured parallel 

 bands passing from the shoulders to the posterior 

 extremity of the rump, four of them being situated on 

 either side, and immediately below the central line of 

 the back. The dark spots above mentioned have also 

 a tendency to arrange themselves in linear series. 

 The tail is striped with sixteen circular alternating 

 bands of a black and whitish-grey colour. The Rasse 

 " preys on small birds and animals of every descrip- 

 tion. It possesses the sanguinary appetite of animals 

 of this family in a high degree, and the structure 

 of the teeth strictly corresponds with its habits. In 

 confinement it will devour a mixed diet, and is fed 

 on eggs, fish, flesh, and rice. Salt is reported by the 

 natives to be a poison to it." The odoriferous secretion 

 from the anal glands is termed dedes by the Javanese 

 and jibet by the Malays, and Dr. Horsfield further 

 informs us that it is quite a "favourite perfume among 

 the Javanese, and applied both to their dresses, and, 

 by means of various unguents and mixtures of flowers, 

 to their persons. Even the apartments and the furni- 

 ture of natives of rank are generally scented with it to 

 such a degree as to be offensive to Europeans, and at 

 their feasts and public processions the air is widely 

 filled with this odour." 



THE TANGGALTTNG (Viverra zibefha] is a very 

 widely distributed species throughout the more south- 

 ern portions of the great Asiatic continent, extending 

 from Arabia on the west to the coast of Malabar 

 on the east, and also occupying Sumatra, Java, 

 Borneo, and other islands of the Indian archipelago. 

 The term Tanggalung is of Malayan origin ; but this 

 species is also called the Indian civet, and by the 

 native Hindoos is known by the name of the Kutauss. 

 It is a comparatively strong and bulky species, having 

 a short thick neck and somewhat, rounded head. The 

 ears are very much wider apart than obtains in the 

 Rasse, leaving an interspace of about two inches 

 width. The tail is cylindrical, nearly uniform in 

 thickness, and shorter than the body ; it is somewhat 

 indistinctly striped with alternating black and light- 

 brown rings. The fur has a light-brownish ashy-grey 

 colour, being marked with small black spots arranged 

 in a transversely undulating manner. The throat and 

 lower parts of the belly are whitish. Dr. Horsfield 

 says that this animal has a comparatively mild dis- 

 position ; but his remarks evidently apply to it when 

 in a semi-domesticated condition. Captain Thomas 

 Williamson's account of the wild Indian civet affords 

 a clearer estimate of its naturally ferocious character. 

 "This animal," he says, " is perhaps the most obnoxious 

 of all the wild tribes known in India. It is seldom, if 

 ever, seen on a plain, except at night, when it leaves 

 its haunt in quest of prey. The Kutauss is remarkably 

 bold, sparing nothing which it can overcome, and 

 frequently killing, as it were, merely for sport. Its 

 principal devastations are among sheep and swine, from 

 which it purloins the young, and commits dreadful 

 havoc among poultry. To the rapacity of the wolf it 



joins the agility of the cat and the cunning of the fox." 

 The same excellent observer tells us that it " is gene- 

 rally found in short underwood covers, mixed more or 

 less with long grass, and especially where the palmyra 

 or cocoa tree is to be seen. Although it is sometimes 

 met with in various detached jungles, yet, for the most 

 part, its residence is confined to such as border old 

 tanks or jeels. The banks being formed by the 

 excavation, are often very high and broad ; with time 

 they settle and become flatter, and are generally overrun 

 with very strong brambles, through which even an 

 elephant could not make his way without extreme 

 difficulty. Of such covers the Kutauss is a regular 

 inhabitant, seldom stirring in the day, during which 

 time he appears to hide himself in the most opaque 

 recesses." The Kutauss ascends trees with facility, 

 and when chased by hunters makes a very powerful 

 resistance. The odour which it emits is similar to that 

 of the Rasse, and, like the jibet, is duly extolled by 

 the natives as a delightful perfume. It is, however, 

 highly offensive to Europeans, and Captain Williams 

 states that the hunters' dogs in Bengal become per- 

 fectly sick with the stench; nevertheless there is no 

 animal which they will so readily attack, and after 

 they have worried a Kutauss nothing will induce them 

 to pursue any other kind of game until at least the 

 smell of the beast has entirely quitted their nostrils. 

 Kutausses only frequent the neighbourhood of such 

 villages as are inhabited by Mussulmans, simply be- 

 cause no poultry can be stolen from those populated 

 by Hindoos, whose religion forbids the rearing of 

 chickens and fowls. Unclean animals all ! 



THE AFBICAN CIVET (Viverra civetta) Plate 9, 

 fig. 31 is the species most commonly known, and it 

 is from this animal that the unctuous browu substance 

 termed " civet" is chiefly procured. The fatty matter 

 in question is obtained from the two anal glandular 

 pouches, so frequently alluded to in other viverrine 

 genera. In the fresh state its odour is extremely dis- 

 agreeable ; but when very copiously diluted and mixed 

 with other perfumes the energy of which it appears 

 to have the power of augmenting the combination is 

 considered pleasant. The Civet is most abundant in 

 North Africa ; but it is also found on the coast of 

 Guinea and at other parts of the continent as far south 

 as the Mozambique. In the domesticated condition 

 this animal exhibits a very capricious temper ; but 

 large numbers of Civets are kept for the sake of 

 procuring the oily perfume. We are told that the 

 unfortunate captives have their dignity insulted about 

 twice a week. Thus, the tails being raised, and the 

 hinder parts fixed to the bars of their cages in situ, a 

 sort of iron scoop is unceremoniously introduced into 

 the before-mentioned pouches, and the glands are 

 relieved of their odoriferous contents. The African civet 

 is larger than the Tanggalung, the body being nearly 

 three feet long, not including the tail, which measures 

 about eighteen inches. The fur has a light brownish - 

 grey colour, with spots and bands of a darker brown or 

 blackish tint. The hairs along the central line of the 

 back and neck are sufficiently elongated to form a 

 kind of mane, which can be raised or depressed at will. 

 The hairs of the tail are also long, and being whitish 



