THE CIVET FAMILY— CAT-FOOTED CIVETS. 



139 



is of a grayish green color and is similar to that of 

 the Domestic Cat. 



The Cryptoprocta is indigenous to Madagascar, 

 where it is called the " Foussa." It is generally 



known there, and dreaded in a ridiculous way. It is 

 even said to attack human beings and is the hero of 

 a great many stories. Its life in the wild state is very 

 little known. 



Zbe Civet ffamUs. 



SECOND FAMILY: Viverrid*:. 



The Cryptoprocta has led us to the family of the 

 Civets (Vivcrridcc). Its members are distinguished 

 fr.om the Cats by their long, round, thin body, which 

 rests on short legs; by a long, thin neck and elongated 

 head and a very long and usually pendant tail. The 

 eyes are generally small, but the ears vary greatly in 

 size in different species ; the feet have either four or 

 five toes, and the claws are retractile in a great many 

 varieties of these animals. Under the tail, where it 

 joins the body, are two or more glands containing 

 a peculiar secretion which has an odor that is not 

 always agreeable ; and this secretion is sometimes 

 stored in a special pouch. 



The Civets are, in a general way, very much like 

 the Weasels, whose place they take in the southern 

 countries of the Old World. On the other hand 

 many of them remind us of the Cats, and some even 

 bear a slight resemblance to Bears. They are chiefly 

 distinguished from the Weasels by their sharper and 

 more pointed teeth. 

 Home and Habits The Civets inhabit the southern part 

 of the of the Old World, preferably Africa 



Civet Family. anc j southern Asia. Three species 

 are found in Europe, on the Mediterranean coast, one 

 being found exclusively in Spain. The Civets are 

 distinguished by a great variety of forms, and their 

 haunts are as varied as their species. Some inhabit 

 sterile, high and arid countries, deserts, plains or the 

 unproductive forests of the rainless regions of Africa 

 and central Asia ; others prefer the most fertile val- 

 leys, especially reed-grown banks of rivers. Some 

 approach the neighborhood of human dwellings, 

 others retire into the depths of dense forests ; some 

 lead arboreal lives, while others are only found on 

 level ground. Rocky caverns and crevices, hollow 

 trees and holes in the ground, which they either dig 

 themselves or take possession of, form their abode, 

 and there they rest for the portion of the day which 

 they give up to relaxation. 



Most Civets have nocturnal habits, but there are 

 also many which are active only during the day ; 

 these latter hunt while the sun shines, except at high 

 noontide, and rest during the night. Very few can 

 be called lazy, slow or clumsy; the majority equal in 

 agility the quickest of Carnivora. Some walk only 

 on their toes, while others step on the whole sole of 

 their feet; some climb, but most of them remain on 

 the ground. 



Their organs of sense are very keen, especially the 

 three higher attributes of sight, smelling and hearing. 

 They are perfectly endowed for a life of rapine and 

 are only equalled in rapacity by the Weasels. All 

 Civets are bloodthirsty in the extreme, and attack all 

 animals which they believe they can conquer. Their 

 principal food probably consists of small mammals, 



birds, eggs, insects, and in some cases fishes and 

 Crabs. The agjlity and intrepidity shown by some 

 of these animals in their struggles with poisonous 

 Snakes have earned for them a wide reputation in 

 all countries where they are known, and remarkable 

 fables have been invented in regard to some species. 

 Unceasingly they prowl around during their waking 

 hours and they investigate every crevice or hole in 

 field, forest or rock, which offers the slightest prom- 

 ise of food. When at rest they usually lie curled up 

 like a ball, in quiet, contemplative reserve; and only 

 a few species have a fixed place of abode, to which 

 they constantly return after their forays. The sound 

 emitted by some species is a hoarse, dull growl, 

 while others make a shrill, monotonous, whistling 

 noise, and others have varying cries. 



Many species have the singular faculty of giving 

 forth a strong odor of musk, which has its origin 

 in the glands before mentioned, whose secretion is 

 known to us under the name of civet and is of an 

 oily or greasy nature. 



As with the other Carnivora, the number of young 

 at a birth greatly varies, being usually between one 

 and six. The mothers are devoted to their off- 

 spring, and in some species the father also assumes 

 part of the training of the young. Civets taken 

 young can, as a rule, be easily tamed and then prove 

 as good-natured and familiar as the old ones are 

 fierce and obstinate. They bear captivity well, and 

 several species of these animals are extensively kept 

 for the sake of the secretion of their glands, which 

 is a valuable article of commerce. 



On the whole the usefulness of the Civets may be 

 regarded as compensating for the mischief they do. 

 In their native country their depredations are not 

 much noticed, while their useful service in catching 

 harmful insects is recognized, and for this reason 

 one species of this family was declared sacred by 

 the ancient Egyptians, and enjoyed universal vener- 

 ation among the people of that remarkable nation. 



The most prominent members of this group are 

 the Civets proper or Cat- footed Civets {Ailuropoda), 

 which are endowed with retractile claws, like a 

 Cat's, and the Mungooses which have non-retractile 

 claws, like those of Dogs. 



THE CAT-FOOTED CIVETS. 



The bodies of the Civets proper ( Viverra) are 

 light and elongated, the tails long, the legs also long 

 and the soles covered with hair ; the feet are pro- 

 vided with five toes and partly retractile claws. 

 Short, broad ears, moderately large eyes with round 

 pupils, a pointed snout and nose, a soft fur and a 

 very perfectly developed pouch for the glands com- 

 plete the characteristics of this family. 



