332 Animal Life 
Although mungooses are such splendid little hunters, they must not be permitted 
to rely solely on their earnings for food, but must be regularly and properly provided 
with their meals. Meat, raw or cooked, chopped finely; eggs, raw or boiled, small 
birds and mammals, reptiles—they are particularly fond of frogs, in common with many 
other of the smaller carnivores—bread and milk, can be given; some specimens are 
fond of fruit, such as a plum or banana. 
If the bough of a tree be placed diagonally in the cage from an upper corner 
to the opposite lower one, it will afford the animals some amusement, as they are 
often fond of climbing up and down this branch; it must be a “dead” branch, in case 
they get nibbling at the live bark. It is rather interesting to watch an ichneumon 
with a raw egg; if it be a small mungoose and a large egg, with a shell too hard 
for the teeth to pierce through, the animal will take it up between its forepaws 
and dash it violently to the floor of its cage to break it, so that it can lick 
up the yolk and white. If, however, the animal can pierce the shell, it makes a 
hole at one end, through which the contents are sucked with much gusto. The 
ailments of these animals are few—generally diarrhoea or cold from wet and draughts— 
but nearly always fatal in consequence of the obstinacy of the creatures. When they 
become attacked by disease nothimg can be done, as they always get morose and 
treacherous, refuse to touch their food, and bitterly resent all attempts to interfere with 
them, even though it be to give them medicine to alleviate their suffermgs. They 
sometimes, when wounded in a quarrel, will permit their owner, if they are on very 
friendly terms with him, to put a little ointment on the imjured place, which they 
generally amuse themselves by licking off as soon as it is on. Damp and draught 
are two things these little creatures are very impatient of, although they are not by any 
means delicate animals. If they are kept out of doors it will be as well to provide 
a canvas covering to drop over the front of the cage during wet weather, as although 
the woodwork may be quite watertight, the rain beating in through the wire front 
of the cage wets the sawdust and straw, and often causes illnesses which are other- 
wise preventible. Any desire on the owner’s part to tease must be restrained, as they 
are very touchy little animals, especially if feeding; at mealtimes they generally carry 
their food away into the darkest corner of the cage to be free from interruption. 
The word ichneumon is Greek, and means “a tracker.’ The ancient Hgyptians 
kept these animals and permitted them to have the free range of their homes and 
paid great attention to them, even going so far as to deify them and embalm their 
bodies after death. 
As a delightful pet for ladies the Suricate is pre-eminent. It is only generically 
distinct from true mungooses, but is smaller and gentle in its habits; a native of South 
Africa, it is very frequently advertised for sale under the name “ Meerkat.” Meerkats are 
much more confiding and trustworthy than the true ichneumons and are very sociable, 
so that a number can be kept in one cage, which may be precisely similar to that 
for a mungoose. More liberty may be allowed the meerkat than the ichneumon, as 
it is not so bloodthirsty as the latter animal; it gets tame remarkably quickly, 
and in a very few days behaves as if it had been brought up in captivity from a 
baby. Plenty of exercise is essential for these little creatures, as they are rather lable 
to fits. They may be fed and managed in all respects exactly similar to their larger 
relatives, but they are especially fond of birds’ eggs and insects. The meerkat is full 
of quaint antics, and its funny little ways, if taken out of its cage and left to run 
about the room, will interest the onlooker for hours. If a dog is kept, nothing will 
please the meerkat better than to strike up an acquaintance, and it has been repeatedly 
noticed what a keen sympathy exists between these two animals if kept im reach of 
each other’s society. 
