ORDER CARNASSIER. 399 



folds, the latter inflates its body to a considerable degree, 

 and when the reptile is about to bite, again contracts, slips 

 from between the folds, and seizes the snake by the neck. 



It is very expert in burrowing the ground, which process 

 it employs ingeniously in the pursuit of rats : it possesses 

 great natural sagacity, and from the peculiarities of its 

 character willingly seeks the protection of man : it is readily 

 tamed, and, in a domestic state, is docile, and attached to 

 its master, whom it follows like a dog ; it is fond of caresses, 

 and frequently places itself erect on its hind legs, regarding 

 every thing that passes with great attention : it is of a very 

 restless disposition, and always carries its food to the most 

 retired place in which it is kept, to consume it : it is very 

 cleanly in its habits : it is exclusively carnivorous (at least, 

 as we conjecture, in a state of nature,) and is very de- 

 structive to poultry, employing great artifice in the sur- 

 prising of chickens — for this reason it is rarely found in a 

 domestic state among the natives, as one of their principal 

 articles of food is the common fowl, and great numbers 

 are reared in all their villages. The Javanese also, like 

 Mahomedans in general, have a great partiality for cats, 

 and they are unwilling, in most cases, to be deprived of 

 their society for the purpose of introducing the Garangan. 

 It has also been observed that its sanguinary character 

 shews itself occasionally in a manner that renders it dan- 

 gerous in a family as a domestic animal, and it indulges, at 

 intervals, in fits of excessive violence. 



The Suricate has been known hitherto only by the figure 

 and description of BufFon and Daubenton. v Its organiza- 

 tion was inferred to be similar to that of the Civets, Genets, 

 and Mangoustes ; and in methodical catalogues, it was ac- 

 cordingly united with those animals. Even M. Fred. Cuvier, 

 in his valuable observations on teeth in the animals of the 



