NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



among the animals inhabiting Africa south of the 

 Zambesi and Cunene Rivers. It resembles the 

 Small-spotted Genet, but instead of the spots 

 being black as in the latter, they are of a rusty 

 brown colour. 



RUSTY-SPOTTED GENET 

 (Genetta rubiginosa) 



This species of genet was originally recorded 

 from the vicinity of Cape Town, and has since 

 been found to occur as far north as Angola. It 

 must be common in Bechuanaland, as its skin is 

 often found in karosses made in that country by 

 the natives. Karosses are rugs made of the softened 

 skins of animals with the hair left on. This species 

 of genet can be distinguished by its body and legs 

 being greyish-white with a red tinge. The stripe 

 down the ridge of the back, and the spots on the 

 body, are brick-red, except the lowest row, which 

 are blackish. The tail at the root has usually four 

 reddish rings, followed by four or five black ones. 

 The tail tip is black for a greater length than in 

 any of the other species. This black tip is formed 

 by two or three of the black rings merging together. 



The four species of Genets are of the same average 

 size. 



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