76 MAMMALIA. 



VlVERRA. 



The Civets have three false molars above and four below, the anterior of 

 which sometimes fall out; two tolerably large tuberculous teeth above, one 

 only below, and two tubercles projecting- forwards on the inner side of the 

 inferior carnivorus, the rest of that tooth being more or less tuberculous. 

 The tongue is bristled with sharp and rough papillae. Their claws are 

 more or less raised as they walk, and near the buttock is a pouch more or 

 less deep, where an unctuous and frequently an odorous matter oozes from 

 peculiar glands. They are divided into four subgenera. 



VIVERRA, Cuv. 



In the true Civets there is a deep pouch divided into two sacs, filled with 

 an abundant pommade of a strong musky odour, secreted by glands which 

 surround it. This substance is an article of commerce, and is used by the 

 perfumers. It was more employed when musk and ambergrease were 

 unknown. The pupil of the eye remains round during the day, and their 

 claws are only semi-retractile. 



V. civetta, L. (The Civet.) Ash-coloured, irregularly barred and spot- 

 ted with black; the tail less than the body, black towards the end, with four 

 or five rings near its base; two black bands encircling the throat, and one 

 surrounding the face; a mane along the whole length of the spine and tail 

 that bristles up at the will of the animal. From the hottest parts of Africa. 



GENETTA, Cuv. 



In the Genets the pouch is reduced to a slight depression formed by the 

 projection of the glands, and has scarcely any visible excretion, although 

 an odour is diffused from it that is very perceptible. In the light the 

 pupil forms a vertical fissure, and the nails are completely retractile, as in 

 the Cat. 



V. genetta, L. (The Common Genet.) Grey spotted with brown or 

 black, the muzzle blackish; white spots on the eyebrows, cheeks and each 

 side of the end of the nose; tail the length of the body, annulated with 

 black and white, the black rings being from nine to eleven in number. 

 Found from the south of France to the Cape of Good Hope, frequents the 

 edges of brooks, near springs, Sec. The skin forms an important article of 

 trade. 



PARADOXURUS, Fr. Cuv. 



Has the teeth and most of the characters of the Genets, with which it 

 was a long time confounded; it is however more stout-limbed; the feet are 

 semi-palmate, and the walk nearly plantigrade, but what particularly dis- 

 tinguishes it is the spiral inclination of the tail, which is not prehensile. 

 Only one species is known, the 



P. typus, Fr. Cuv. (The Pougoune of India.) A yellowish-brown, with 

 some spots of a deeper brown than the rest; the feet, muzzle and part of 

 the tail blackish; eye-brows white, and a white spot under the eye. 



