MAMMALIA. FERJE. Fitchet. 159 



Muftela variegata, or Weafel, variegated with black and white. Briff. quad. 1S1. — Badger, Meles, 

 having the middle toes longer than the reft, the outer ones of an equal length, and the claws near- 

 ly equal. Haffelq. it. 191. — Ichneumon, called Pharaoh's Rat, by the Egyptians. Belon. obf. 95. — 

 Ichneumon, or Egyptian Otter, Lntra aegyptiaca. Aldrov. 298. fig. p. 301. — Ichneumon. Gem. quad. 

 566. Alpin. hift. iEgyp. 234. t. 14. f. 3. Maillet defc. de l'Egypt. 90. t. 88. Schaw's trav. ii. up- 

 per fig. p. 74. Penn. hift. of quad. n. 211. «. — Great Mangoufte. Sm. Buff. vii. 210. pi. ccxxiii. 



Inhabits Egypt on the banks of the Nile, and retires to the fields and gardens during the inunda- 

 tion of that river. — This is a fierce and cunning animal, but may be tamed, and is often kept in hou- 

 fes inftead of cats : It fteals towards its prey, and feizes it by furprife, living on mice and rats, 

 poultry, worms, infects, feveral kinds of amphibious animals, ferpents, frogs, lizards, the eggs of the 

 crocodile, and even the young of that animal ; it is a great enemy to weafels and cats, both of which 

 it deftroys when they come in its way. From its great utility in deftroying various noxious reptiles, 

 and efpecially from its greatly diminifhing the number of crocodiles, by feeding on their eggs, this a- 

 nimal was worfhipped by the ancient Egyptians as a deity. The Egyptian Ichneumon is about the fizc 

 of a Common domeftic Cat, but is longer in the body, and has fhorter legs in proportion ; the fore- 

 head is flat ; the ears, fmall, rounded,. and almoft naked.; the nofe is long and {lender, with a fmall 

 mouth, having a fingle row of whifkers at the margin of both lips, towards the cheeks ; the upper 

 lip is prominent, and the tongue is rough ; the tail is about the fame length with the body ; the hair 

 is coarfe, rough, and often curled, and is barred alternately with white and dufky : Under the tail, 

 both the male and female have a remarkable aperture, leading to a kind of pouch where an ordorife- 

 rous liquor is fecreted ; which pafFage they are faid to open when too warm. 



jpr 2. Indian Ichneumon. — 2. Viverra Mango, 7. 



The tail is very thick at the origin, and tapers to a point which has no tuft ; the inner 

 toes are fomewhat remote from the reft. Schreber,. iii. 430. t. cxvi. A. and B. 



Viverra Ichneumon. /3. Syft. naf. ed. xii. I. 63 Muftela glauca. Syft. nat. ed. v. Amoen. ac. 



ii. 109. — Reddifh-grey Viverra. Brifl". quad. 177. - Muftela, or Viverra Manguda, fo called by the 

 Indians. Kaempf. amoen. 574. — Quil, or Quiopela. Garcias, arom. 214. Raj. quad. 197. — Mon- 

 cus,. Serpenticida, or Serpent-killer. Rumpf. herb, amboin. 69. t. 72. f. z. 3. — Indian Ichneumon. 

 Edw. av. 199. t. 199. Voefmaer defc. Amft. 1772-4. S. G. Gmelin it. iii. t. 30. Penn. hift. of" 

 quad. n. 2ir. p. — Lefler Mangoufte. Sm. Buff. vii. 210. p. cexxii. 



Inhabits Bengal, Perfia, and other hot countries in Afia. — This animafis fmaller and fmoother than' 

 the Egyptian fpecies, but agrees with it in manners, form of body, and way of living. It gives battle 

 to ferpents, and even attacks the naja, or cobradi capello, one of the moft deadly of that poifonous 

 race ; and, when bitten by their poifonous fangs, it is faid to prevent the deadly effecT: by eating the 

 root of the Ophioriza. It is very much afFraid of wind,, and impatient of cold ; is a cleanly animal, 

 which may be tamed, and taught to follow his mafter like a Dog. The Count de BufFon coniiders;- 

 this and the former as the fame fpecies of animal, only differing in fize.. 



302 3- Cafrarian Ichneumon. — 3. Viverra cafra. 8, 



The tail is thick at the origin, and gradually tapers to a point, which is black.. 

 Schreber, iii. 434. n. 9, 



luha'jhj- 



