10 VIVERRA ZIBETIA. 



luted, but highly fragrant when mixed in very small portions with 

 other perfumes. Its taste is bitterish and subacrid ; it unites 

 readily with both the volatile and fixed oils ; it is sparingly soluble 

 in water and alcohol, but impregnates these fluids strongly with 

 its odour. .M. Boutron-Chalard states, that in an unexceptionably 

 good civet, he found free ammonia, stearine, elaine, mucus, resin, 

 volatile oil, yellow coloring matter, carbonate and phosphate of 

 lime, and oxide of iron.* If paper be rubbed with civet, and it 

 will bear writing on afterwards, it is considered genuine. 



Civet is principally imported from India and Africa into 

 Europe, by the way of Alexandria and Venice. The Dutch civet 

 is said to be generally less adulterated than that which is brought 

 either from India or the Levant ; and its average value in Holland, 

 may be stated at fifty shillings the ounce. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — This substance agrees with 

 musk in its medical virtues, and was formerly administered in the 

 greater number of spasmodic diseases, especially in epilepsy, hys- 

 teria, colic, and even as a remedy against barrenness. " Si vir 

 ante concubitum, glandem Zibetto inungat, cum odore illius uterus 

 delectetur, citius eum semen excipere, plerique docent."f It is 

 now very rarely, if ever, employed in medical practice ; while musk, 

 ambergris, and other drugs, have considerably diminished its repu- 

 tation as a perfume. 



VIVERRA ZIBETTA.— The Zibet. 



SrEC. Char. — Fur grey ; legs transversely spotted with 

 brown ; throat white, with two black bands on each 

 side ; no mane ; tail long, with eight or nine rings. 



VivenaZibetta-, Syst.Nat. Gmelin, 1. Shaw, Zool. i. 389. Zibet; Buffon, Hist. 

 Nat. ix. p. 316, t. 31. 



This animal inhabits Sumatra, and has generally been con- 

 founded with the preceding species. It is distinguished by having 



* Journal de Pharmacie, for 1S24, vol. x. p. 538. 

 t Plater Prax. torn. i. p. 489. 



