182 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and Mongoose to the rare Eupleres of Madagascar; but few are 

 more interesting than the beautiful Pardine Genet, with its 

 elegant, almost Deer-like head set on a graceful neck, its hand- 

 some coat, spotted boldly in Leopard fashion, and its long 

 tapering tail — these outward attractions being enhanced by the 

 marvellous quickness and lithe serpentine grace of its movements 

 as it runs like a streak of lightning across the floor of its cage, 

 or leaps from one place to another with the agility of a Cat. My 

 Genet was an adult male, very quiet, and indeed afraid of being 

 hurt ; he allowed himself to be stroked, and would feed from the 

 hand when he had barely been six weeks in England. On one 

 occasion he escaped from his cage, to which he was only restored 

 after three-quarters of an hour's interval ; even then, though 

 thoroughly frightened, he made no attempt to bite. Perhaps 

 the Genets, like the Giraffe, are silent animals; the one I had, 

 at any rate, never emitted any sound whatever. He slept all 

 day coiled up in his travelling box, at night becoming very lively, 

 bounding to and fro in a curious manner behind the bars of the 

 cage as if performing some set task. Genets are, if possible, 

 even more active than Cats, therefore it is cruel to imprison 

 them in little cages, as is only too often done ; six feet is the 

 minimum length for a cage to accommodate so agile a creature. 

 These animals may be fed on fowls' heads, mice, or fish. In 

 these days a chattering Monkey or a screeching Parrot seems to 

 be the popular ideal of a zoological treasure ; but to anyone 

 wishing for a new, interesting, intelligent, and quiet pet, pleasing 

 in its ways, and readily becoming tame, I cordially recommend 

 the Pardine Genet. 



Galidictis vittata (Grison). — The Grison is a rare animal in 

 captivity, and I do not remember ever having seen it in any of 

 the continental zoos; indeed, the two which arrived in England 

 recently are the only ones I have known to be offered for sale of 

 late years — one of these, a fine healthy specimen, is now in my 

 own collection. The coloration of the Grison is most remarkable, 

 grey above and dark brown below ; it resembles, in fact, a small 

 Honey Katel (Mellivora), and has something of the Badger in its 

 gait, while the webbed feet recall those of the Otter. The Grison 

 is one of the " cutest " and most " wideawake " of wild animals ; 

 every action expresses alert intelligence and fearless self-reliance. 



