108 Divisiox I. vei;ti;i;i:al animals. — class i. mammallv. 



in the south of Franco. Th.cir chiws are retractile, lilcetlie cutV. In tlicse 

 species the poucli, witli its peculiar secretion, nearly disappears, although 

 there is a jierceptiblc odor of musk. 



CKYi'TorROdTA — The Galet. "We know of but one species, C.firox. 

 Judging from its dentition, it nuist be the most carnivorous t)f the Vivcr- 

 rines. It is a little longer than a stoat, of a brown color, and has large 

 ears. Is a native of ^Madagascar. 



Pi;i()m:)Dox — I'he Dc'lundung. The only species known, T*. [/rdcili.^, 

 is from Java: a rare animal, of slender form, very beautifully streaked and 

 spotted. 



PAi!Ai)OXi;i;is — The ]\Iusangs. The nuisang possesses the teeth and 

 most of the characters of the genets. Twelve or thirteen species arc known, 

 inhabiting India, the great Asiatic islands, and Africa. They arc partly 

 frugivorous, but when they seek other food they ;;pi'ing upon their prey from 

 a place of ambu^]l ; are tamed witli ease, and when angry growl and spit 

 like cats. They climb with facility, and build tiieir nests on the forked 

 branches of trees. They sleep rolled up in a ball. In color they do not 

 difii'r much iVom the genets. They are destructive to poidtry and eggs. 



Cyxocale — The C'ynogale. But one species is known, C. Utneltu. 

 It is a native of Sumatra ; has the ears small, 'the head and color very sim- 

 ilar to the common otter. It is an a(piatic animal. 



MAXtJrsTA — The ^langustas. 'There are numei'ous species, of which 

 the ichneumon (1'. ic/uicni/ion, Linn.) is the best known. It is longer 

 than the domestic cat, and very slender. It may be easily tamed. It is a 

 native of Egyjit, feeds on all sorts of small animals and the eggs of the 

 crocodile. The opinion that it entered the mouth of this animal to destroy 

 it, which obtained among tlie ancients, and continued to a late period, it is 

 needless to say, was fabidous. The Indian species, ]". iiiiin(ju!^, attacks and 

 destroys the most dangerous serpents. To it we are indelited for a knowl- 

 edge of the Oj)hi(jrhir:a mniit/os as an antidote to the venom of snakes. 



Hyz.exa — The Surikate. Strongly resembles the foregoing. .It differs 

 from all the carnivora hitherto mentioned, sa\e the Lycaon Picta and 

 Cynictis, by having only four toes to each foot. It is also higher upon the 

 legs. One species only has been iliscovercd, 1'. tcfrddaciijhi. It is 

 smaller than the India mangust, and is a native of Africa. It exhales an 

 odor pleasantly sour, from which circumstance it was called by the Dutch 

 tSiive Kate — Sour Cat. 



Ckossakciils — The j\Iangue. ^Vitli the snout, teeth, pouch, and gait 

 of the surikate, it has the toes of the mangustas. There is but one species, 

 (J. obscnruK, from Sierra Leone. 



