MAMMALIA—ICHNEUMON. 159 
slightly tufted. The eyes are of a bright red; the ears almost naked, small 
and rounded ; the nose is long and slender. The legs are short. The hair 
is hard and coarse, and of a pale reddish gray, each hair being mottled with 
brown or mouse color. 
This animal is domestic in Egypt, like our cat; and, like that, is service- 
able in destroying rats and mice ; but its inclination for prey and its instinct 
are much stronger and more extensive tham the cat’s; for it hunts alike, 
birds, quadrupeds, serpents, lizards, and insects. It attacks every living 
creature in general, and feeds entirely on animal flesh: its courage is equal 
to the sharpness of its appetite; it is neither frightened at the anger of the 
dog, nor the malice of the cat, nor even dreads the bite of the serpent. It 
pursues them with eagerness, and seizes on them, however venomous they 
may be. As soon as it begins to feel the impressions of their venom, it 
immediately goes in search of antidotes, and particularly a root that the 
Indians call by its name, and which, they say, is one of the most powerful 
remedies in nature against the bite of the viper. It sucks the eggs of the 
crocodile, as well as those of fowls and birds; it also kills and feeds on 
young crocodiles, when they are scarcely come out of their shell; and, as 
fable commonly accompanies truth, it has been currently reported, that, by 
virtue of this antipathy, the ichneumon enters the body of the crocodile, 
when it is asleep, and never quits it till he has devoured its entrails. It was 
formerly deified by the Egyptians, for its serviceable qualities. 
It lives commonly by the sides of rivers, inundations, and other waters, 
and is reported to swim and dive occasionally, like an otter, and to remain 
for a considerable time beneath the liquid element. It quits its habitation 
to seek its prey near habitable places. It sometimes carries its head erect, 
fore-shortens its body, and raises itself upon its hind legs; at other times, 
it creeps and lengthens itself like a serpent: it often sits upon its hind feet, 
and often springs upon its prey: its eyes are lively and full of fire. Its 
aspect is beautiful, the body very active, the legs short, the tail thick and 
very long, and the hair rough and bristly. Both male and female have a 
remarkable orifice, independent of the natural passages. It isa kind of 
pocket, into which an odoriferous liquor filters. They pretend that it opens 
this bag, or pocket, to refresh itself when too hot. Its nose is very sharp, 
and its mouth narrow, which prevents it from seizing and biting any thing 
very large; but this defect is amply supplied by its agility, courage, and by 
its power. It very easy strangles a cat, although much larger and stronger 
than itself; it often fights with dogs, and, of whatever size they are, it com- 
monly gets the better of them. It may easily be domesticated, and is then 
more tame, obedient, and affectionate than a cat. 
