UNCOMMON PETS. 
A series of articles on the Care and Keep of Animals in Captivity, 
By PL. WELLINGTON FARMBOROUGH, F.Z.S., F.E.S., etc. 
2X, CIB). 
NG one time these animals were im great demand by parfumewrs in order to obtain 
the secretion produced by the anal glands, but of late ycars the peculiar scent 
of these anunals has almost ceased to be a commercial commodity (musk and certain 
vegetable perfumes taking its place) owing to its overpowering strength. However, 
Orientals and Abysinnians still use this scent, and Abysinnia and Java are the two 
great seats of the civet industry. The Dutch used to import to Holland Civet Cats 
from their colonies of the East with an idea of procuring the perfume in a quite 
unadulterated and pure state, and this led to the civet-cats of Amsterdam having a 
great reputation and being greatly in demand by the perfume-makers of olden times. 
Civet-cats are very often kept by those people who like their peculiar odour; the 
male cat has the greatest scent-giving properties, and the odour is so strong that it 
remains for a very long time in the skins of these animals, and is even noticeable 
after they have been tanned and prepared for use. The secretory glands of the civet are 
situated close to the tail, and if they be not artificially discharged of their contents, the 
perfume gradually collects and falls to the ground in a small mass about the size of an 
ordinary nut, when it hardens unless put into an airtight box or canister. So long as it 
remains in the pouch it is about the consistency of butter, and is not liquid enough to be 
ejected after the manner of that of the skunk and certain other mammals, and therefore 
the civet as a scent-bearing animal is not so objectionable a pet as the others would be. 
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INDIAN CIVET. 
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