S12 THE ICHNEUMON. 



antidote from some herb, after which it returns to 

 the attack and seldom fails of victory. It is a 

 ogreat destroyer of the eggs of Crocodiles, which 

 it digs out of the sand ; and even kills multitudes 

 of the young of those terrible creatures. It was not, 

 therefore, without reason, that the ancient Egyp- 

 tians ranked the Ichneumon among their deities. 



It is at present domesticated, and kept in houses, 

 in India and Egypt, where it is found more useful 

 than a Cat in destroying Rats and Mice. It is easily 

 tamed, is very active, and springs with great agility 

 on its prey. It will glide along the ground like a 

 Serpent, and seem as if without feet. It sits up like a 

 Squirrel, eats from its fore feet, and catches any thing 

 that is flung to it. It is a great enemy to Poultry, 

 and will feign itself dead to attract them within its 

 reach. It is said to be extremely skilful in seizing 

 the Serpent by the throat, in such a manner as to 

 avoid receiving any injury *. Lucan has beauti- 

 fully described the same address of this animal iq 

 conquering the Egyptian Asp. — - 



Aspidas ut Pharias cauda solertior hostis 

 Ludit, et iratas incerta provocat umbra : 

 Obliquansque caput vanas serpentis in auras 

 EfFusae toto comprendit guttura morsu 

 Lentiferam citra saniem : tunc irrita pestis 

 Expriraitur, faucesque fluunt pereunte veneno. 



Thus oft th' Ichneu7nen, on the banks of Nile^ 

 invades the deadly Aspic by a wile ; 



"^ '" " ~ I f IB .IP 1 I, 



* Penn. Quad. ii. 536. 



