24 



CLASS MAMMALIA. 



ORDER S ARCOPHAGA. 



on the banks of rivers. Of the species we may mention the Great Otter 

 (L. Vulgaris), which is about three or four feet in length ; of a long and 

 slender make, flat forehead, limbs short and muscular, feet broad and 

 webbed, fur close and of a shining deep brown. (Plate 6.) 



Otters feed entirely on fish, to which they are very destructive, as they 

 rarely devour further than the vent and leave the tail part untouched. 

 Occasionally, however, when fish is scarce, they leave their usual haunts, 

 and, proceeding inland for some distance, destroy poultry, sucking pigs, 

 lambs, and even rabbits. They have been occasionally known to feed on the 

 bark of trees also, and on vegetables. The Otter brings four or five cubs 

 at a birth, about June, and these, if taken young, may be brought up, as 

 has been done, by suckling from a bitch, and tamed. Many instances of 

 this kind have occurred, and the Otter taught to fish for his master. (See 

 " Daniel's Rural Sports.") The Otter is found throughout Europe, also in the 

 northern parts of Asia, in Chili, and North America, especially in Canada, 

 whence the finest skins are obtained. 



The Brazilian Otter is larger than the Common Otter. 



The Lesser Otter, a third of the size of the Common Otter, is found in 

 Poland and the north of Europe, and in North America, where it is called 

 the Minx, as in Sweden it is named Mcenk. Its fur is very valuable, and 

 nearly equals the Sable in beauty. It is taken in traps or with dogs. 



The Sea Otter (L. Marina) measures from four to five feet in length ; 

 fur long, velvet-like, and deep, glossy black, sometimes varying to silvery ; 

 are very harmless, and show great affection to their young, carrying them, 

 before they can swim, in the water on their paws, and pining to death if 

 bereft of them. They are hunted for their skins, which are very valuable, 

 often fetching in China a hundred rubles apiece. 



VlVKRRA the Civet. The animals forming this genus are light, elegant, 

 and slender animals, having the papilla? of their tongue covered with sharp, 

 horny skin, like the Cat genus ; but their most remarkable character is the 

 glandular apparatus at the rump, in which is secreted the peculiar odorous 

 substance called civet, which in some species consists of two deep pouches, 

 and in others presents a simple cleft. 



The species are arranged into two divisions, namely, the True Civets and 

 the Genets. Of the Civets we enumerate the Civet Cat (V. Civetta), 

 which is about two feet and three inches in length from the muzzle to the 

 root of the tail, and the tail fourteen inches ; the fur is from four to five 

 inches in length, and capable of erection like a mane ; muzzle lengthy, and 

 lips furnished with long moustaches ; ears short and rounded ; colour of the 

 back and sides brownish or yellowish-grey, with rows of large dusky spots ; 

 tail either wholly black, or spotted only at its base. (Plate 6.) The 

 Civet is a native of the hottest parts of Africa, and prefers sandy and dry 

 mountainous districts. Civet is obtained from these animals, which are 

 kept in confinement for that purpose, the secretion being removed occa- 

 sionally from the subanal pouch as it collects. 



The Zibet (V. Zibetha) is a native of the Asiatic continent from Arabia to 

 Malabar, and of the large islands of the Indian Archipelago. By the Malays 

 it is called the Tangalung, and is often kept by them in a state of partial 

 domestication ; its habits and degree of tameness resembling that of our 

 domestic Cat. 



The Basse (V. Indica) is of a more lengthy and slender form than the 

 other species. It occupies in Java the station of the Civet and Zibet else- 

 where ; and it is kept in cages by the natives for the sake of its perfume, 

 and fed on mixed diet of eggs, fish, flesh, and rice, but its naturally fero- 

 cious disposition remains unchanged. 



The Three-striped Weasel (V. Hermaphrodita), a native of Barbary, is in 

 size between the Civet and Zibet 



The Genets are the Genet (V. Genetta), eighteen inches long, tail from 

 ten to twelve; colour grey with a yellow tinge. Found in the South of 

 France, in Spain, and in northern Africa as far as the Cape of Good Hope ; 

 it is said, also, in southern Asia. It is easily tamed, and breeds in confine- 

 ment The Fossan (V. Fossa), same length as the above; a native of 

 Madagascar. The Filleted Genet (V. Fasciata) comes from Java. The 

 Delundung (V. Gracilis), concerning which considerable difference of 



opinion is held as to the genus to which this animal belongs ; Pesmarest, 

 Blainville, and Cuvier place it among the Genets, but Horsefield believing 

 that it has a close affinity to the genus Felis, forms a special section in that 

 genus, to which he gives the name Prionodontidce. Length of body fifteen 

 inches, tail twelve and a half ; colour pale yellowish white; is a native 

 of Java, inhabiting the forests, but of its habits nothing is known. It is 

 called Delundung by the natives. 



HEEPESTES the Ichneumon. The Egyptian Ichneumon (Plate 6) is 

 about eighteen inches in length from the snout to the root of the tail, and 

 the tail about as long again ; the hair very rough and wiry, and each ringed 

 alternately with chestnut brown and fawn, which renders the coat a mixture 

 of the two colours. The Ichneumon is frequently known by the name of 

 Pharaoh's Rat, but whence this title is derived is not clear. It is said to 

 be a great destroyer of the eggs and young of the Crocodile, but it may be 

 doubted whether its services in this respect are so great as to entitle it to 

 the deification bestowed upon it by the ancient Egyptians, because the 

 number of Ichneumons is very limited in Upper Egypt, where the Croco- 

 diles abound, whilst in Lower Egypt, where there are but few, the Ich- 

 neumon is very common. In Egypt it is domesticated, and serves the 

 purpose of a Cat, destroying the vermin by which the houses are infested. 

 It is fond of poultry, and will feign itself dead till the birds come within 

 its reach, when it springs upon them, and, strangling them, generally satis- 

 fies itself by sucking their blood. The Ichneumon will also attack Serpents. 

 The story of the Ichneumon creeping down the Crocodile's throat whilst 

 asleep, and devouring its entrails, is now very properly thrown aside as 

 fabulous. The Ichneumon sleeps rolled up like a ball, with its legs sticking 

 out, and is not very easily wakened ; it grows rapidly, and is shortlived, 

 more especially in cold climates. 



The Indian Ichneumon (H. Mtingo) is celebrated for its contests with 

 the Cobra di Capetto, one of the most poisonous Snakes known. 



The RYZ/ENA (Gr. pvfctr, to snail) is included by Gmelin with the 

 Viverrse, but classed with the order Sarcophaga by Illigt-r. One species, 

 the Four-toed Weasel (R. Capensis), called also the Cape Surikate, is well 

 known. Its general appearance, and the nature of its fur, resembles that 

 of the Ichneumon, which has in like manner been separated from the Vi- 

 verrse. It has but four toes, and it stands higher on its legs than others of 

 the Viverrae. 



The other species are the Grey Ichneumon (H. Griseus), Cape of Good 

 Hope; Edwards' Ichneumon (H. Edwardsii), East Indies; the Hohang 

 Shira (H. Vansire), Madagascar ; the Garangan (H. Javanicus), of Java ; 

 also the Eed Ichneumon (H. Rubes), and the Great Ichneumon (H. Major), 

 the body of which is four inches longer than the Egyptian species, and its 

 coat rougher and longer. 



This genus comprises a number of animals of which the habits are very 

 different, though they still bear some general resemblance to each other. 

 The similarity in their structure is very great, and particularly in the form 

 of their teeth. With the exception of one species, of which the varieties are 

 almost innumerable, they are wild and blood-thirsty animals. 



CANIS Dog. The genus may be divided into two subgenera, those 

 which have the tail not so long as the body and not furnished with hairs 

 in great numbers these the Dogs; and secondly, those which haw the t;nl 

 very long and covered thickly with hairs, forming a kind of brush, such as 

 the Foxes. 



First Section Dogs. Our engraving (Plate 7) gives a representation of 

 the species C. Familiaris, the Domestic Dog, called also the Faithful Dog. 

 His tail bends to the left ; snout sharp, nose rounded and rather prominent ; 

 body covered with hair ; tail of irregular length in the different varieties. 



This animal is born with his eyes closed, and they do not become open 

 till the tenth or twelfth day after birth. The female, which is called Biteh, 

 goes with young about sixty days, and pups six or eight young ones : the 

 animal arrives at its full growth in two years, and lives from fifteen to 

 twenty years ; the latter of which period it rarely exceeds. 



Buffon considers all the varieties to have degenerated from the C. Do- 

 mesticus, affected by climate and other circumstances : six principal varieties 



