420 MAMMALIA. 



the inmates to death, only eating their brains and drinking their 

 blood. They are wanting in intelligence, yet can be domesticated. 



The typical species of the genus is the Ichneumon, or Pha- 

 raoh's Rat, which inhabits the whole of the Nile region of Egypt. 

 This animal measures sixteen inches in length, not including the 

 tail, and is very slender in figui-e. It has long been celebrated 

 for destroying Crocodiles' eggs. A fable, which obtained great 

 credit in former times, affirms that the Ichneumon entered the 

 bodies of these enormous Reptiles to devour their viscera. It was 

 no doubt because of the intimate relations existing between these 

 animals that the ancient Egyptians deified the Ichneumon at the 

 same time as the Crocodile. 



The Mangues are a kind of Mangousts, which differ from all 

 the others by their more elongated and mobile muzzle, resembling 

 a snout. They are found on the West Coast of Africa, and 

 especially at Sierra-Leone. 



Beside the Mangues must be placed the pretty little animals 

 which have almost the same form and habits, and are natives of 

 Madagascar ; these are the Q-alida3, or Gralidictis of M. Coquerel, 

 who has observed them in that island. They are easily tamed, 

 and are used to destroy vermin. 



Gemis Civet. — The Civets are the largest of the Viverridse, 

 although their size does not surpass that of the Fox. Like the 

 Mangousts, they live on small mammals and birds ; but they 

 have not the same preference for reptiles. For a long time 

 they enjoyed great celebrity, owing to the perfume they fur- 

 nish, and which bears their name. The odoriferous matter is 

 secreted in a number of small glands, which pour it into a 

 well-developed double pouch, situated beneath the anus, and 

 communicating with the exterior by a longitudinal slit. Since 

 musk and ambergris have been known, the use of Civet has been 

 more restricted ; but in former times it was an article of larsre 

 consmnption. Each year Africa and India exported to Europe 

 considerable quantities, which was used in medicine and per- 

 fumery ; as an antispasmodic in nervous deseases it was considered 

 valuable. 



To procure the perfume, the people of the East reared Civets in 

 captivity, and by feeding them on appropriate nourishment they 

 rendered the secretion more abundant. Birds, fowls, e^o-s fish 



