74-6 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



ters, therefore, the Civets are much more highly carnivorous 

 than are any of the preceding families, and they approach in 

 many respects very close to the typical group of the Digitigrada 

 (viz., the Felidce), having especially very close affinities with the 

 Hyaenas. Many of the species of the family are furnished with 

 anal glands, which secrete the peculiar fatty substance known 

 as " civet." All the Viverridcz belong to the Old World. 



The true Civet-cat is the Viverra civetta, a native of North Africa and 

 Eastern Asia. It is a small nocturnal animal, which climbs trees with 

 facility, and feeds chiefly upon small mammals, reptiles, and birds, but 

 also upon roots and fruits. It furnishes the greater part of the "civet" of 

 commerce, which was formerly in great repute both as a perfume and as a 

 medicinal agent. It is a pomade-like substance, with a strong musky 

 odour, and is secreted by a deep double pouch beneath the anus. The 

 Genette ( Viverra genetta) is very closely related to the preceding, and is a 

 native of Africa and Southern Europe, being not uncommonly domesticated 

 and kept like a cat. The anal pouch in the Genette is much reduced in 

 size, and has hardly any perceptible secretion. Another nearly-allied form 

 is the Ichneumon (Herpestes], one species of which is kept as a domestic 

 animal in Egypt, and lives upon Snakes, Lizards, the eggs of the Crocodile, 

 and small Mammals. 



Among the numerous other forms which are referred to the Viverridcz 

 may be mentioned the Paradoxtirus of the Indian province ; the prehen- 

 sile-tailed "Benturongs" (Arctictis] of India, and 

 Sumatra and Java ; the web-footed Cynogale of Bor- 

 neo; the "Mangue"(Cr0ssarchus)of Western Africa ; 

 the " Suricate " (Rhyzcena} of South Africa ; and the 

 curious Cryptoprocta of Madagascar. 



Forming a transition between the Viver- 

 ridcz and the Felidce, is the family of the 

 Hycenidce, distinguished by the fact that, 

 alone of all the Carnivora, both pairs of feet 

 have only four toes each. The hind-legs 

 are shorter than the fore-legs, so that the 

 Fig 434. Crown of the trunk sinks towards the hind-quarters, and 



left upper carnassial , ., , mi i j 



of the striped Hysena the tail IS SllOrt. Ihe tOJlgUC IS TOUgll and 



SurafS?' f the Prickly. The head is extremely broad, the 

 muzzle rounded, and the muscles of the 

 jaw extremely powerful and well developed. The claws are 

 non-retractile. All the praemolars and molars are trenchant 

 except the last upper molar, which is tuberculate. The upper 

 carnassial has an internal tubercle (fig. 434), and the lower 

 carnassial is wholly trenchant. The, dental formula is 



. 3 3 i i 4 4 i i 



t - - : c - - : pm - - : m - = -24. 



33 i i 3 3 i i 



All the known species of Hyaena are confined to the Old 

 World. The striped Hyaena (H. striata) is found in North 



