[ 3I<5 ] 



THE HONEY-WEESEL OR EATEL *. 



This animal, which is a native of the Cape, is, 

 from the nose to the tail, about two feet long. Its 

 back is ash-coloured ; and along its sides runs a light- 

 grey stripe, that divides this from its belly;, which 

 is black. The legs are short; and the claws long, 

 and formed for burrowing. It lives in holes under 

 ground, and is said to be very fetid. 



The Ratel seems formed by nature to be the ad- 

 versary of the Bees, and the unwelcomevisitor of their 

 habitations ; and is endued with a particular faculty 

 of discovering and attacking them within their en- 

 trenchments .^As a man placed at the mast-head, can 

 most easily descry a sail or laud at a great distance in 

 the evening, so probably this time of the day is the 

 most convenient for the Katel to look out for his 

 food : for he is likewise said to be particularly atten- 

 tive to his business about sun-set ; when he will sit 

 and hold one of his paws before his eyes, in order 

 to modify the rays of the sun, and at the same time 

 to procure a distinct view of the object of his pur- 

 suit : and when, in consequence of peering in this 

 manner on each side of his paw, opposite to the sun, 

 he sees any Bees fly, he knows that they are at this 

 time going straight to their own habitation, and 

 consequently takes care to keep in the same direc- 

 tion in order to find them. He has, besides, the 

 sagacity to follow the Cuculus Indicator^ a little bird. 



* Synonyms. — Vivcrra Tvtfllivora. Linn, — lioncy-weeicl. S/icp. 

 — Ilat'^I. Sjxxrrma/i. — Biii'. Sua.'. ? ip. 



