THE MAKTIN. 301 



Description. 



civet. They introduce into the bag a small quan- 

 tity of butter, or other fat; then shake the ani- 

 mal violently,, and by beating, irritate it as much 

 as possible. This, they say, greatly accelerates 

 the secretion; and the fat also by these means 

 imbibes so much of the perfume, that the women 

 use it upon their hair. 



Though naturally ferocious, the civet is capa- 

 ble of being tamed, and rendered tolerably fami- 

 liar. In a state of confinement its favourite food 

 consists of boiled meat, eggs, birds, and fish. It 

 sleeps with its body rolled round, and seldom 

 changes its posture either in the day or night. 



THE MARTIN. 



THIS animal is the most beautiful of all the 

 weasel tribe. It is about eighteen inches in 

 length, exclusive of the tail, which generally mea- 

 sures ten inches. The head is small and ele- 

 gantly formed; the ears are broad, rounded, and 

 open ; and the eyes remarkably lively. The body 

 is covered with a thick fur, of a dark brown co- 

 lour; the head brown, mingled with red; the 

 throat and breast are white, and the belly is of 

 the same colour with the back, but rather paler; 

 the claws are sharp, and admirably adapted for 

 climbing. 



The martin lives wholly in woods, or forests; 

 its general retreat is in the hollow of some 



