54 On the Civet of the continent of India. 



subfeline and partially retractile, but except in youth blunt 

 and worn by constant attrition with the earth to which 

 these animals are exclusively confined, and are thus distin- 

 guished by habits, as well as structure, from the small 

 vermiformed and scansorial species (Indica et Rasse of au- 

 thors) equally common throughout India, which I have se- 

 parated under the subgeneric term of Viverrula. 



The greater species are as frequent in the mountains as in 

 the plains: the lesser vermiformed species are found only 

 in the latter, and in every part of them. In both the pe- 

 culiar odoriferous apparatus is fully and equally developed, 

 and each has besides a foetid anal apparatus analagous to 

 that of Mydaus ursitaxus, &c. consisting of two solid glan- 

 dular bodies placed centrally on either side the anus, just 

 within its external margin, and opening on either side by a 

 palpable pore whence pressure sends forth a marrowlike 

 offensive secretion ; essentially similar glands and pores are 

 found in the Maries flavigula and others of the foetid genera 

 of this family : but it has not been noticed that they exist in 

 the true Civets, in addition to their peculiar organs, which 

 last as to position are pubic or preputial, as in the Para- 

 doxuri, and also in Moschus, or the Musk Deer, a very 

 noticeable circumstance ! 



The peculiar glands of the Civets when dissected from 

 the skin, are found to be not rounded bodies but flat ones, 

 each (in Orientalis vel melanurus) 2J inches long by 

 1| broad, a congeries of glands like a cauliflower exactly. 

 Cuvier asserts that the Genets, to which our lesser Indian 

 Civets are so much allied in size and form, have this 

 peculiar odorous apparatus only in any evanescent or 

 rather incipient state ; and as I cannot doubt his asser- 

 tion (the type of Genetta being common in France) it fol- 

 lows that our lesser species are not, as alleged, Genets, 

 for they have this apparatus as complete as the larger 

 or true Civets. I have therefore separated the smaller 



