66 MAMMALIA. 



C. argentatus. ( The Silver or Black Fox.) Black ; tips of the hairs white, 

 except on the ears, shoulders, and tail, where they are of a pure black. The 

 end of the tail is all white. From North America. Its fur is most beautiful, 

 and very costly. 



The interior of Africa produces Foxes remarkable for the size of their ears, 

 and the strength of the hairs of their mustachios ; they are the MISGALOTIS of 

 Jlliger. 



Finally, we may place after the Dogs, as a fourth subgenus, distinguished 

 by the number of the toes, which is four to each foot, the 



Ht/cena venatica, Bursch. (The Wild Dog of the Cape.) It has the dental 

 system of the dog, and not that of the hyena ; a long and thin form ; the fur 

 mottled, with white and fawn-colour, grey and black; size of the wolf; large 

 ears with black tips, &c. It is gregarious, and frequently approaches Cape 

 Town, devastating its environs. 



VlVERBA. 



The Civets have three false molars above and four 

 below, the anterior of which sometimes fall out ; two 

 tolerably large tuberculous teeth above, one only below, 

 and two tubercles projecting forwards on the inner side 

 of the inferior carnivora, the rest of that tooth being 

 more or less tuberculous. The tongue is bristled with 

 sharp and rough papillae. Their claws are more or less raised as they walk, 

 and near the buttock is a pouch more or less deep, where an unctuous and 

 frequently an odorous matter oozes from peculiar glands. They are divided 

 into four subgenera. 



VIVERRA, Cuvier. 



In the true Civets there is a deep pouch divided into two sacs, filled with 

 an abundant pommade of a strong, musty odour, secreted by glands which 

 surround it. This substance is an article cf commerce, and is used by the 

 perfumers. It was more employed when musk and ambergris were un- 

 known. The pupil of the eye remains round during the day, and their claws 

 are only semi-retractile. 



V. civetta. Lin. (The Civet.) Ash-coloured, irregularly barred and spotted 

 with black ; the tail less than the body, black towards the end, with four or 

 five rings near its base; two black bands encircling the throat, and one sur- 

 rounding the face ; a mane along the whole length of the spine and tail that 

 bristles up at the will of the animal. From the hottest parts of Africa. 



V. Zibetha, Lin. (The Zibet.) Ash-coloured, spotted with black; black half 

 rings on the whole tail, and black bands on the sides of the neck. From the 

 East Indies. 



GENETTA, Cuvier. 



In the Genets the pouch is reduced to a slight depression formed by the 

 projection of the glands, and has scarcely any visible excretion, although an 



