CHAPTER IL. 
The Smaller Carnivora—The Civets and their Allies—The Skunk : 
Effect of its Scent on Man and Animals—The Mungoos: its 
Snake-killing Powers; Tournament with Cobras—The Aard- 
Wolf—The Lesser Cats: Sight, Hearing, Smell, Colour ; 
Battles; the “ Homing” Faculty; Perceptions and Intelli- 
gence—Bears: Hibernation; Sagacity of Polar Bears; Dr. 
Rae’s Account. 
THE Viverride, or civet family, includes some interesting forms, 
among them the ichneumons of Africa and Asia, which go by the 
name of “ Mungoos,” “ Mongoose,” &. They have the reputation 
of being able to destroy the most venomous serpents with impu- 
nity, on account of their knowledge of some herb which, being 
eaten immediately after the bite is inflicted, plays the part of 
an antidote to the poison. There is still something more than a 
lingering belief in this superstition, even among some who by 
education and opportunity should be better informed. The 
well-known perfume of commerce is supplied by the civets, 
whose anal glands secrete a fatty substance, which is collected 
periodically, and becomes an article of some value; it is now 
largely supplanted by artificially manufactured scents of more 
pleasing character. 
Tt cannot be said that the civets present anything of great 
interest to the naturalist except in the points already mentioned. 
In the crab-eating mungoos of the Himalayas and Assam the 
anal glands are provided with muscles, which enable the animal 
