THE FOSSA, CIVETS, AND ICHNEUMONS 77 
Sumatra and Borneo, it is very rare, but is known to feed on fish and crustacea, and to be semi- 
aquatic. The author of the chapter on the civets in the Naturalist's Library says, “ It may be 
likened to a climbing otter.” 
THE MONGOOSE AND ICHNEUMON FAMILY 
THESE are a numerous and useful race of small mammals, feeding mainly on the creatures 
most annoying to man within tropical countries. Snakes, the eggs of the crocodile, large lizard, 
rats, mice, and other creatures known generally as “ vermin,” are their favourite food. It must 
be added that, though they are most useful in destroying these, they also kill all kinds of birds, 
and that their introduction into some of the West India Islands, for the purpose of falling rats, 
has been fatal to the indigenous bird life. 
THE InpIAN MoNnGoOosE 
This universal favourite is one of the largest, the head and body being from 15 to 18 inches 
Photo by A. S, Rudland &° Sons 
GENET 
The genets are smaller than some civets, but allied to tnem. One was anciently domesticated like a cat 
long, and the tail 14 inches. The fur is loose and long, and capable of being erected. As in all. 
the tribe, the tint is a“ pepper and salt,” the “ pepper” colour being sometimes blackish and 
sometimes red, but a speckled appearance characterises the whole group. This is the animal. 
supposed to be immune from snake-bite. It is possibly so to some extent, for it kills and eats 
the poisonous snakes,and it is now known that the eatzxg of snake-poison tends to give the 
same protection as inoculation does against certain diseases. But it is certain that in most cases 
the mongoose, by its activity, and by setting up the hair on its body, which makes the snake 
« strike short,” saves itself from being bitten. 
Many descriptions of the encounters between these brave little animals and the cobra have 
been written. Here is one of the less known: “ One of our officers had a tame mongoose, a 
charming little pet. Whenever we could procure a cobra—and we had many opportunities— 
we used to turn it out in an empty storeroom, which had a window at some height from the 
ground, so that it was perfectly safe to stand there and look on. The cobra, when dropped from 
the bag or basket, would wriggle into one of the corners of the room and there coil himself up. 
The mongoose showed the greatest excitement on being brought to the window, and the moment 
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