THE CRAB MUNGOOS. 93 



the attention of the Asp by the motion of his bushy tail,* and then seizing it in the midst of its 

 confusion. 



" The mystery of the Mungoos and its antidote has been referred to the supposition that there may 

 be some peculiarity in its organisation which renders it proof against the poison of the Serpent. It 

 remains for future investigation to determine how far this conjecture is founded on truth ; and 

 whether in the blood of the Mungoos there exists any element or quality which acts as a prophylactic. 

 Such exceptional provisions are not without precedent in the animal economy. The Hornbill feeds 

 with impunity on the deadly fruit of the Strychnos;f the milky juice of some species of Euphorbia, 

 which is harmless to Oxen, is invariably fatal to the Zebra ; and the Tsetse Fly, the pest of South 

 Africa, whose bite is mortal to the Ox, the Dog, and the Horse, is harmless to man and the untamed 

 creatures of the forest." 



THE CRAB MUNGOOS.J 



This animal is usually considered to be sufficiently different from the other Mungooses as to 

 require a separate generic name. It has an almost Snake-like body, and a very long, Blender snout. 

 It is of an iron-grey colour, with a very well-marked white stripe on each side of the neck. The tail 

 is reddish and very thick, and attains a length of eleven inches, the head and body together being 

 eighteen inches in length. 



Like the Civets, it has glands situated near the root of the tail, but these glands, instead of 

 secreting a perfume, produce a fluid of the most abominably fetid odour, so that the beast is by no 

 means a pleasant one to come near. Moreover, to make matters worse, the secretion of these 

 glands does not quietly ooze out as in the Civets, but the sacs are provided with muscles, by the 

 aid of which the animal is able to squirt out the noxious stuff to a considerable distance upon 

 any offending person. 



" This curious animal has been found in the South-east Himalayas, extending into Assam and 

 Arakan. , In its habits it is somewhat aquatic, preferring, it is said by Hodgson, Frogs and Crabs. 

 It lives in burrows in the valleys of the lower and central regions of Nepaul." 



THE COMMON PAKADOXURE. 



This animal, and other species of the same genus, are often called "Tree Cats," or "Palm Cats," but 

 as they are not Cats at all, it is better to throw over the incorrect English name, and follow the plan 

 which, as the reader may see, is adopted on the labels at the Zoological Gardens in this and similar 

 cases : that is, Anglicise the Latin name, even at the risk of using a somewhat long and ugly word ; 

 but, as Milton says : 



" Why, is it harder, sirs, than Gordon, 

 Colkitto, or Macdonnel, or Galasp ? 

 Those rugged names to our like mouths grow sleek, 

 That would have made Quintilian stare and gasp." 



The name Paradoxurus " queer-tailed " was given to the genus from the fact that some of the animals 

 composing it have their tails curled round into a sort of screw, the under side being thus brought 

 uppermost. The name " Tree Cat " is very inappropriate, as the Paradoxures are not in the least like 

 Cats, but resemble far more closely the Civets, which are, indeed, their nearest allies. They are long- 

 bodied and short-legged, with sharp snouts and long tails, and are almost completely plantigrade. 



The Common Paradoxure varies a good deal as to the character of its fur. The ground-colour is 

 usually "brownish-black, with some dingy yellowish stripes on each side, more or less distinct, and 

 sometimes not noticeable ; a white spot above and below each eye, and the forehead with a whitish 

 band in some ; a black line from the top of the head down the centre of the nose is generally 

 observable." The individual hairs are yellowish at the base and blackish at the tip, and according 

 to the state of wear and tear of these, the animal appears to be of various shades of tawny, brown, 

 blackish, &c. The head and body together attain a length of twenty-two to twenty-five inches, the t 

 nineteen to twenty-one. 



* Pharsalia, lib. iv. 729. t The nux vomica plant. J Urea cancrivora. Paradoxurus musang. 



