VIVERRA. 



The V. Chir.ge of Molina, or black weafel, with a change- 

 able caft of blue, and a row of white fpots from head to tail, 

 refembles in fhape and general form the ch'mche juft men- 

 tioned ; but its colour is black. It is a native of Chili. 

 According to Molina, its fmell proceeds from a greenifh oil, 

 ejedled from a follicle or receptacle near the tail. The In- 

 dians are faid to value the Ikin of this fpecies on account of 

 its beauty, and to ufe it for various purpofes, quilts, &c. 



ZoKiLLA. Weafel variegated with black and white : 

 the zorilla of BufTon ; the mapurito and niafutiliqui of Gu- 

 milla, &c.; fmaller than the three precedmg. A native of 

 Peru and other parts of South America. The ground- 

 colour is black ; the tail as bufhy and elegant as that of the 

 mephkic weafel. It poflefTes the fame faculty with the 

 three former fpecies. 



Mapuuito ; Black Weafel. With fnovv-white band 

 from the forehead to the middle of the back, and without 

 any external ears. This is the V. putorius of Mutis. Its 

 tail is nine inches long, and whitifh at the tip. It inhabits 

 New Spain, burrows under ground, feeds on worms and in- 

 fers, and may, perhaps, be a variety of the mephitic 

 weafel. 



ViTTATA ; Blackifli Weafel. With a broad white band 

 from the forehead to each fhoulder : the grifon of BufFon ; 

 a native of Surinam, and found at Pamplona, in New 

 Spain, and probably in every part of South America. 



Zevi.anica ; Cinereous Weafel. Mixed with brown ; 

 whitidi beneath ; rcfrmbling the martin, and fufpefted by 

 Schreber to be the fame with the Ceylonefe dog of Vofmacr. 

 It is found in Ceylon, and probably in the Phihppine 

 ifles. 



Cai'KNsis ; Black Weafel. With grey back edged wiih 

 white. This is the (linkbmkfen of Kolbe, and ratel weafel 

 of Petulant. It is one of the larger animals of the genus ; 

 cincrcoiis-grey above, and brownilh-black below, the two 

 colours being feparated along the whole length of the ani- 

 mal, from the bafe of the nofe to the tail, by a ftripe of 

 black and white ; when pnrfued it ejeds a fetid liquid, ac- 

 companied with the intolerable fmell of that of the Ameri- 

 can wcafels, or Ikunks, and producing the fame effefts. It 

 is found at the Cape of Good Hope, and in Guinea. 



Mellivoha. With cinereous back, witli a black lateral 

 band ; the abdomen black ; the claws long, hollow beneath, 

 and formed for burrowing. This is the ratel of Sparrmann, 

 feeding principally on the honey of wild bees, and found 

 about the Cape of Good Hope. This iioncy-weafel has a 

 very tough and loofe fl<in, with thick hair, fuppofed to be 

 given to it as a natural defence againfl the (lings of bees. 

 Mr. Pennant feems to have confounded this animal with the 

 V. capenfis ; both fpecies feed on honey ; but Mr. Sparr- 

 mann does not mention any ofFenfive effluvia in his de- 

 fcription. 



CivETTA ; A(h-coloured Weafel. Spotted with black, 

 with chefnut-coloured mane, and duflcy tail fpotted towards 

 the bafe. This is the fclis zibethi of Gefner and Aldro- 

 vand, and the civcttc of Buffon, and commonly known by 

 the name of the civet cat. It is a native of feveral parts of 

 Africa and India. It is of a mild difpofition, preys on 

 birds and fmall quadrupeds, and produces the drug called 

 ctvct ; which fee. 



ZiiiETHA ; Alh-grey Weafel. Striated with bhick un- 

 dulations, and an annulated tail. It is the fclis /ibethi of 

 Gefner, and zibet of Buffon. Pennant regards it as the 

 fame fpecies with the former, but it is generally confidered by 

 modern naturalifts as diftinft. It is found in India, and the 

 Indian i/lands, and may be called the Indian, whilll thu 

 former is dejiominated the African civet cat. In djfpofuiou 



and manners they both feem to agree ; as well as in the ftacre- 

 tion of the perfume before-mentioned, which is colleCled 

 from both animals in the fame manner. 



HER.MAi'iinoDiTA ; Dark-grey Weafel. With three 

 black dorfal ftripes, and long tail with black tip. Schreber 

 lias defcribed this fpecies from Dr. Pallas. It is a native of 

 Barbai-y. 



GENfilTA ; Fulvous-grey Weafel. With the body marked 

 with rows of black fpots, and annulated tail. It is the 

 genette of BufFon, and one of the mofl beautiful animals of 

 the genus, aiid about the fize of a fmall cat. Its difpofition 

 is mild, and it is eafily tamed. In various parts of the Eall, 

 and particularly at Conftantinople, it is domellicatcd like 

 the cat, and no lefs ferviccable in clearing houfes from rats 

 and mice. It is a cleanly animal, and has a flight mulky 

 fmell. It is a native of the weftern parts of Afia, and is 

 faid likewife to occur in Spain, and in fome parts of France. 

 The French variety, however, is lefs elegantly and dillindly 

 fpotted than the Oriental genet ; and Mr. Pennant confiders 

 it as a diftinft fpecies, under the name of " Pilofello." 



FcssA ; Afh-coloured Weafel. Spotted with black, 

 and with annulated tail. Thisis the (odanc of Bullon, and 

 fo nearly allied to the genet, and of the fame fize, that it 

 might be taken for a variety of the fame animal. It is a 

 native of Madagafcar, Guinea, Bengal, Cochincliina, and 

 the Philippine iflands : it is fierce, and with difficulty tamed. 

 It dcftroys poultry hke the common weafel : when young, 

 it is faid to be good food. 



TiGRlNA ; Yellowifh-grey Weafel. With fcrown varie- 

 gations ; annulated tail tipped with black or brown, and a 

 black llripe from head to tail. This is the chat-bizaam of 

 Vofmaer, and the blotched cat of Pennant ; of the fize of 

 the cat, and of mild manners. Mr. Pennant has referred it 

 to the genus Felis, but Mr. Schrader makes it a Viverra. 

 It is found at the Cape of Good Hope. Gmelin fuggefts 

 that it may be a variety of V. folfa. 



CAUDivor.vui.A ; Yellow Weafel. Shaded with du/ky, 

 with prehenfile tail : the yellow macuaco and yellow weafel 

 of Pennant, and le kinkajou potot of BufFon. It is an ani- 

 mal of gentle manners, atlive and playful, and hangs by its 

 tail occafionally, like the prchenfile-tailed monkeys. Sup- 

 pofed to be a native of Jamaica. The kinkajou of Buffon 

 is fuppofed by Pennant to be a diflinft fpecies, and called 

 Mexican weafel. It was brought from New Spain ; and is 

 defcribed as fond of vegetables of various kinds, and de- 

 lighted with fugar and different fweets ; and would feize on 

 birds, and fuck the blood without tearing its prey. It 

 flept much by day, and was lively during the night; exhi- 

 bited the aftions of a monkey, and had various cries, fome- 

 times a kind of barking note, at other times hilTing, or va- 

 rioi.ifly modified. 



Fasciata ; Grey Weafel. With fix longitudinal black 

 bands, beneath white ; the hairs of the t.ail long, black 

 and reddifti. This is the chat fauvage "a bandes noires de» 

 Indcs of Sonnerat, who firlt defcribed and figured it. It 

 is a native of India. 



Malaccensis ; Grey Weafel. Dotted above with 

 black, with four round fpots above the eyes, and three 

 black bands on the neck and rump, and long tail annulated 

 with black. It is a native of Malacca, defcribed by Son- 

 nerat ; of the fize of a domeilic cat, and much allied to the 

 genet and the foffane. It lives by cliace, is nimble in climb- 

 ing trees, and fo fierce, that if it be only wounded when 

 /hot, it will turn back and attack the aggrelFor. It diffufcs 

 a powerful mufky odour, from a receptacle hke that of the 

 civet cat. The Malays coUcit the fluid there fecrcted, and 

 l>rclcnd tliat it is iliraulant and ftoroachic. It i.s much 

 R r i cftccmcd 



