422 



MAMMALIA. 



Genus Genetfa. — The Genets are elegant animals, very closely 

 allied to tlie precediag in form and habits. Their bodies are more 

 slender, the head finer, and size notably less. Their claws are 

 almost entirely retractile ; and their fur, which is speckled with 

 black spots on a pale fawn-coloured ground, has a very pretty 

 ajDpearance, and is an object of considerable trade. 



The Genets emit, like the Civets, a musky odour, but their 

 secretion is so trifling as to make it not worth collecting. It 

 frequents the borders of streams, and the neighbourhood of 

 springs. 



One species is found ia certain parts of Western and Southern 

 Europe ; this is the Genet vulgaris (Fig. 169), common enough iu 

 the South of France, and chiefly in the vicinity of Perpignan. 



-Tlie Genet ( Genetta rulgai w, Linn.). 



The other species belong to Africa, Madagascar, and Southern 

 Asia, as well as to the Indian Archipelago. 



We may add to the Civets and Genets the Paradoxures (Fig. 

 171), animals belonging to India and the neighbouring islands, 

 and which are about the size of a cat. They climb trees, and 

 feed both on animal and vegetable substances. That which Fr. 

 Cuvier examined at the menagerie of tlie Jardin des Plantes 

 had the tail constantly roUed up, and always on the same side; 

 for this reason he gave it the name of Paradoxior, being desirous 

 of indicating that this animal had an extraordinary or paradoxical 

 tail ! Works on Natural History enumerate numerous species of 

 Paradoxures. 



Genus C'l/nofjale. — The Cynogale is the representative of the 

 Otter ami3ng Viverridas. Like that animal, it has palmated feet, 



