THE EDINBURGH 



JOURNAL OF NATUEAL HISTORY, 



AND OF 



THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 



NOVEMBER, 1837. 



ZOOLOGY. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE THE CIVETS AND GENETS. 



The Civets and Genets form together a family of the Carnivora, characterised by 

 their elongated form, conical and pointed head, short limb?, and long tapering tail. 

 Their tongus is covered with pointed stiff papillae, their claws are retracted when 

 they walk, and in the vicinity of their anus is a deep bag into which is secreted an 

 unctuous matter which is highly odorous. There is very little essential difference be- 

 tween the two genera, the Civets merely having the anal bag deeper, and the pupil 

 round, whereas in the Genets the bag is reduced to a slight depression, and the pupil 

 is a vertical slit. 



Fig. 1. The Common Civet (Viverra Civetta) is of a greyish or brownish- 

 grey colour, irregularly banded and spotted with black ; the tail is shorter than the 

 body, and ringed with dusky; there are two black bands on each side of^the neck; 

 and along the middle of the neck and back is a kind of mane. This species, from 

 which was obtained the civet of commerce, formerly much employed in perfumery, is 

 a native of various parts of Africa. 



Fig. 2. The Grey-headed Civet {V. Poliocephala), characterised by the 

 dark brown colour of the body and limbs, the yellowish-white of the throat, and the 

 bluish-grey tint of the head, is also a native of Africa. 



Fig. 3. The Zibet (V. Zibetta), which inhabits India, is very similar to the 

 Common Civet, being of a light-grey colour, spotted with black, the tail ringed, and 

 the neck patched with the same ; it is destitute of mane, and has a white stripe down 

 the back. 



Fig. 4. The Luwak ( K. Musangoi), greyish-brown all over. 



Fig. 5. The Javanese Civet ( V. Rasse)^ brownish-j-ellow, longitudinally 

 banded and spotted with black, inhabits Java. 



Fig. 6. The Com^mon Genet (^Gtnetta vulgaris^ is grey, or brownish-grey, 

 spotted with black, the tail banded, and as long as the body. This species is found 

 in the southern parts of Europe, in Africa and Asia, and exhibits numerous varieties. 



Fig. 7. Vabiett of the Common Genet from Malacca. 



Fig. 8. The Fossane Genet (G. Fossa), reddish-grey with reddish-brown 

 spots, and four longitudinal lines of black on the back, inhabits Madagascar. 



Fig. 9. The Banded Genet (C^scia^a), brownish-yellow, with longitudinal 

 brown bands. 



Fig. 10. Slender Genet {G. gracilis) y clear reddish-yellow, with transverse 

 brown bands and spots, the tail annulated with brown ; inhabits Java, 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE, THE EAGLES. 



The order of Rapacious Birds is divided into two sections, one containing the diurnal 

 the other the nocturnal species. The former are further subdivided into two families 

 the Vulturine and Falconine. Of the latter family the Eagles constitute a ^enus 

 characterised by their great size, their strong, straightish, compressed bill, of which 

 the tip of the upper mandible is decurved and trigonal, its edges festooned. The 

 wings are very large and rounded, and the feet extremely muscular, with strontr toes 

 and long, curved, very acute claws. 



Fig. 1. The Golden Eagle (Jquila Chrysaetos) inhabits various parts of Eu- 

 rope, Asia, Africa, and America. The female, as in most species of this order, is 

 much larger than the male. When full-grown, it is of a dark-brown colour, the tail 

 uniform with the back, the hind head and neck yellowish-brown, the cere and toes 

 bright yellow, the bill and claws bluish -black. This species has abeady been pretty 

 fully described in our 20th Number. 



Fig. 2. The Golden Eagle, when young, has the greater part of the tail white, 

 and in this state was formerly considered as a distinct species, and named the Rin^' 

 tailed Eagle. °' 



Fig. 3. The Plaintive Eagle {A. Navia) is much smaller than the Golden 

 Eagle, and inhabits various parts of Europe, especially the southern and eastern, and 

 15 also common in Egy^.t. It is of a nearly uniform glossy reddish-brown colour; 

 the tail dusky, with a terminal hght red band; the bill and claws are bluish-black i 

 the cere and toes yellow. This species feeds on hares, rabbits, other small quadru- 

 peds, birds of various kinds, and in summer large insects. 



Fig. 4. The Young of the Plaintive Eagle differs from the adult bird in nav- 

 ing naraerous large oval white spots on the wing-coverts. 



BRITISH BIRDS NO. VII THE RED GROUSE AND PTARMIGAN. 



The Ptarmigans are distinguished from the Grouse by having the tarsi and toes 

 feathered, and by the want of the lateral pectiniform scales appended to the toes of the 

 latter. In most other respects, however, the genera Tetrao and Lagopus are so simi- 

 lar, that it may well be doubted whether they really ought to be considered as distinct. 

 It has been stated, that only one species of Grouse, which was described in our last 

 Number, occurs in Britain, while in that country there are two species of Ptarmigan, 

 the Red Grouse of authors, or, more properly, the Brown Ptarmigan, and the Com- 

 mon or Grey Ptarmigan. 



The Red Grouse {Lagopus Scoticus) is peculiar to Great Britain and Ireland, 

 not having hitherto been obsi^rved in any other part of the world. It is a strong full- 

 bodied bird, the male about sixteen inches in length, its extended wings measuring 

 twenty-seven on an average. The colour varies a little with the seasons. In winter 

 the adult male is chestnut brown, inclining to red on the neck; on the body variegated 

 with black ; on the breast blackish, with many of the feathers tipped with white. The 

 general colour of the female is yellowish-red, spotted and varied with black. In sum- 

 mer the male is chestnut brown, minutely varied and spotted with black ; the head 

 and neck also varied ; the breast darker and more obscurely varied. The female is 

 yellowish-red, spotted and varied with black ; most of the feathers on the upper parts 

 tipped with yellowish-white. The superciliary membranes or crests, which are larger 

 in the male, are vermilion, the bill brownish-black, the iris hazel, the claws blackish- 

 brown, greyish-yellow at the end. 



Although this bird occurs in Ireland and England, it is more abundant in Scotland, 

 where it is met with on the heaths, from the level of the sea to the height of about 

 two thousand feet. The low sandy heaths of the eastern parts of the middle division 

 appear to be less favorable to it than the more moist peaty tracts of the western and 

 northern districts, where the shrubs on which it feeds attain a greater size. In the 

 central regions of the Grampians it is equally abundant as on the moors of the He- 

 brides ; and on the hilly ranges of the south, the Pentlands, the Lammermuir, and the 

 mountains of Peebles, Dumfries, and Selkirk, it is still plentiful. 



It is pleasant to hear the bold challenge of the cock at early dawn on the wild 

 moor, remote from human habitation. You may fancy it to resemble the syllables 

 ffOi ffOy goy go back, go hack, although the Highlanders, naturally imagining the 

 bird to speak Gaelic, interpret it as signifying co, co, co, mo-chlaidhj mo-chlaidh, 

 that is, who, who, (goes there,) my sword, my sword. 



The food of this species consists chiefly of the tops of heath, Calluna vulgaris. 

 Erica cinerea, and the leaves and twigs of other shrubs and herbaceous plants, as 

 has already been stated in No. xx, where a sketch of the digestive organs has been 

 presented. On ordinary occasions, the species does not fly much, but keeps concealed 

 among the heath, seldom choosing to rise unless its enemy comes very near. On the 

 approach of danger, it lies close to the ground, when, being of a colour not contrast- 

 ing strongly with that of the plants around, it is with ditficulty perceived by rapacious 

 birds, among which its principal enemies are the Golden Eagle, the Peregrine Falcon, 

 the Common Buzzard, and the Henharrier. The quadrupeds which occasionally 

 prey upon it are the Polecat, the Pine Martin, the Fox, and perhaps the Ermine. 

 When traced by a dog, it either runs to some distance, or squats at once. On such 

 occasions the male is generally the first to rise. He erects himself among the heath, 

 stretches out his neck, utters a loud cackle, and flies off, followed by the female and 

 young, affording by their straight-forward, heavy, though strong, flight, an easy mark 

 to a good shot. Young birds often allow a person to come within a few yards or even 

 feet before they fly off, and even the old males, unless previously harassed, rise within 

 shooting distance. 



In a district where there is choice of situation, the Red Grouse prefer the slopes 

 of hills not exceeding two thousand feet high ; but they are to be found on the lowest 

 and most level peat-bogs, especially if there are large tufts of heath surrounded by 

 banks. Those which in summer and autumn reside on the heights usually descend 

 in winter ; but even during that season, individuals may be found in their highest 

 range, which is bounded less by actual elevation than by the disappearance or scanti- 

 ness of heath. 



This species generally flies low and heavily, moving its wings rapidly* with a 

 whirring noise, and proceeding in a direct course without undulations. Occasionally, 

 when at full speed, and especially when descending parallel to a declivity, it sails at 

 intervals, that is, proceeds for a short time with expanded and apparently motionless 

 wings. Its flight is strong, often protracted to a considerable distance, and capable 



