28i HISTORY OF 



Straight, like those of a cat. The colour of the civet varies : il 

 is commonly ash, spotted with black ; though it is whiter in the 

 female, tending to yellow ; and the spots are much larger, like 

 those of a panther. The colour on the belly, and under the 

 throat, is black ; whereas the other parts of the body are black oi 

 streaked with gray. This animal varies in its colour, being some 

 times streaked, as in our kind of cats called tabbies. It has whisk- 

 ers like the rest of its kind ; and its eye i^ black and beautiful. 



The opening of the pouch or bag, which is the receptacle of 

 the civet, differs from that of the rest of the weasel kind, 

 not opening into, but under the anus. Besides this opening, 

 which is large, there is still another lower down ; but for what 

 purposes designed is not known. The pouch itself is about two 

 inches and a half broad, and two long ; its opening makes a chink 

 from the top downwards, that is about two inches and a half 

 long ; and is covered on the edges and within, with short hair ; 

 when the two sides are drawn asunder, the inward cavity may be 

 seen, large enough to hold a small pullet's egg ; all round this 

 are small glands, opening and furnishing that strong perfume 

 which is so well known, and is found in this pouch of the colour 

 and consistence of pomatum. Those who make it their business 

 to breed these animals for their perfume, usually take it from 

 them twice or thrice a-week, and sometimes oftener. The ani- 

 mal is kept in a long sort of a box, in which it cannot turn 

 round. The person, therefore, opens this box behind, drags the 

 animal backwards by the tail, keeps it in this position by a bar 

 before, and, with a wooden spoon, takes the civet from the pouch 

 as carefully as he can ; then lets the tail go, and shuts the box 

 again. The perfume thus procured, is put into a vessel, which 

 he takes care to keep shut ; and when a sufficient quantity is 

 procured, it is sold to very great advantage. 



The civet,' although a native of the warmest climates, is yet 

 found to live in temperate, and even cold countries, provided it 

 be defended carefully from the injuries of the air. Wherefore, 

 it is not only bred among the Turks, the Indians, and Africans, 

 but gre^ numbers of these animals are also bred in Holland, 

 where this scraping people make no small gain of its perfume- 

 The perfume of Amsterdam is reckoned the purest of any ; the 

 people of other countries adult.-rating it with gums, and other 

 J Buifuii, vol. xix. 



