ORDER CARNASSIER. 389 



The ground colour of the Genet is a yellowish-gray, and 

 the body is covered with blackish spots. These are long 

 on the neck and shoulders, and generally rounded on the 

 sides and limbs. They form almost a continuous line along 

 the dorsal ridge. The tail has about ten or eleven dark 

 brown or black rings. There is no difference in colour 

 between the males and females. 



The Genet may be about a foot or more in length, the 

 tail is about nine inches. Its mean height does not exceed 

 five inches. 



It would appear that the habits of these animals are 

 pretty similar to those of the Weasel tribe. They live, we 

 we are told, in low grounds, and in the neighbourhood of 

 small rivers. They are easily tamed, as are all semi-carni- 

 vorous animals. Belon tells us that they are found at Con- 

 stantinople in a domestic state, and like Cats, are employed 

 to take Rats and Mice. This we may easily believe, as 

 both are nocturnal animals. Those which belonged to the 

 French Museum were a male and female : they coupled, 

 and one young one was produced, which was immediately 

 killed by the male on its appearance in the world. Gesta- 

 tion continued about four months. This young one was 

 about five inches long, and the colour of its parents. 



So many changes have lately been introduced into the 

 arrangement of the Viverrine animals, that it is extremely 

 difficult to determine, from books, what is the real number 

 of them, or their varieties already described. The intro- 

 duction, by the Baron Cuvier, of the new sub-genus para- 

 doxurus, to which we shall shortly have occasion to refer 

 more particularly, renders it difficult to ascertain the identity 

 of the several animals noticed by authors. We shall, hew- 

 ever, endeavour, to follow the authority of the Baron on 

 this subject, so far, at least, as the materials before us will 

 elucidate his intentions. 



