The Fossa, Civets, and Ichneumons 



77 



webbed feet. Found in the Malay Peninsula and in Sumatra and Ijonieo, it is very rare, but 

 is known to feed on fish and Crustacea, and to lie 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 MONGOO.SE 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 

 lizards, 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 killing rats, has been fatal to the indigenous bird life. 



Tme Indian Mungoose. 

 This universal favourite is one of the largest, the head and bodv being fronr 15 to 



Fholo ly A. S. Siidl i 



The genets are smaller than some civets, hut allied to them. One was anciently domesticate.l like a cat. 



18 inches 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 eating 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, 



