THE ICHNEUMON. 



(HESPESTES GRISEUS.) 



Fewer animals are better known as pets than the 

 common grey ichneumon, or, as it is more frequently 

 designated, the mongoose. Scarcely a ship arrives from 

 India that has not one of these sharp and lively little 

 animals on board. Easily tamed and handled, they are 

 much prized, and are, consequently, much in request. 

 They, as is usual with most tamed animals, have a large 

 share of praise bestowed upon them ; the many tales 

 related of their intelligence and power, and of their 

 courage in killing vermin, and poisonous and other snakes, 

 have made them famous, and any attempt to speak of 

 them other than in accordance with the belief so firmly 

 established in the minds of the admirers of their many 

 virtues and abilities, would undoubtedly call down upon 

 their calumniator the wrath of the said admirers. 



That an animal so commonly kept and petted, and 

 found so useful in ridding, to a tolerable extent, of vermin, 

 buildings and habitations, in countries where rats, snakes, 

 various lizards and innumerable pests abound, would 

 naturally be greatly valued, there cannot be the least 

 doubt, and the ichneumon, being such an animal, monopo- 

 lizes a very large share of attention. It is, moreover, 

 generally believed to possess the power of saving, at least, 

 its own life, when bitten by the cobra or any other 



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