THECATTRIBK. 59 



marked with eight or nine broad black rings, which alternate with 



as many of a greyish hue. A much lighter grey than that of the 



Civet composes the ground color ; there is a broad longitudinal 



dorsal line of black, and on each side two or three narrower black 



lines, consisting of confluent spots. 



Over the rest of the body these spots 



are thickly but rather irregularly 



scattered, so as to constitute a series 



of flexuous dotted lines. The side 



of the neck above is occupied by 



a deep longitudinal black line, and 



below, there is a second, which is 



more obliquely placed. The head is greyish, and has no spots 



and the legs are externally black. 



Civets are active little animals. The whole group is cele- 

 brated for a perfume which is secreted in a glandular pouch near 

 the tail, and is of some importance in commerce. If the Civet is 

 kept alive, the perfume is obtained by enclosing it in a long narrow 

 box so that it cannot turn round, and then scraping the secretion 

 from the pouch with a spoon. If the creature is killed, the entire 

 pouch is usually cut off, and sells for a higher sum than when the 

 perfume is sold separately. 



The Civet is only found in North Africa, especially in Abys- 

 sinia, where it takes up its abode on uncultivated and barren hills. 

 It feeds upon birds and the smaller quadrupeds, which it takes by 

 surprise. As it pursues its prey by night only, its eyes are formed 

 for seeing in the dark, and gleam as do those of a cat 



The Genet is an animal smaller than the civet. It hiis a 

 long body, short legs, a sharp snout, and a slender head. Its fur, 

 which is exceedingly smooth and soft, is of an ash color, glossy, 

 and marked with black stripes, which are separate upon the sides, 

 but which unite upon the back. It has also upon the neck a kind 

 of mane, or longish hair, which forms a black streak from the 

 head to the tail, which last is as long as the body, and is marked 

 with seven or eight rings, from the inser'^ion to the tip, which are 

 alternately black and white. 



