VIVERRA CIVETTA. "J 



conducts into two cavities, which might each of them contain an 

 almond. Their external surface is slightly covered with fine hair, 

 and pierced with many holes, each of which conducts into an oval 

 follicle, of very slight depth ; the concave surface of which is again 

 covered with innumerable pores. The odoriferous substance 

 comes from these pores. It fills the follicle, and when this is 

 compressed, it proceeds from it something, in form, like vermicelli, 

 ;md enters the larger bag. All these follicles are enveloped by a 

 membranous tunic, which receives many of the sanguineous 

 vessels ; and this tunic, in its turn, is covered by a muscle, which 

 arises from the pubis, and has the power of compressing all the 

 follicles, and with them the entire bag, to which they are attached. 

 By means of this compression, the animal gets rid of the super- 

 fluous part of its perfume. Besides this odoriferous matter, there 

 is another secreted, which assumes the form of stiff silken threads, 

 and is mingled with the first. There is also in the Civit, a small 

 hole on each side of the anus, from which a blackish and very foetid 

 matter issues. — Fig. 1, Plate I. represents the skull of the Civet. 



The Civit inhabits Africa, and several parts of Asia, where it is 

 very prolific ; yet in more temperate regions, though it lives, and 

 apparently enjoys perfect health, it will not breed. In its natural 

 habit the Civet closely resembles the fox, subsisting on birds, and 

 the smaller quadrupeds, which it takes by surprise, and sometimes 

 commits depredations among poultry, when it will steal unper- 

 ceived into a farm-yard. In the East and in many parts of Northern 

 Africa, great numbers of them are kept in a state of domestication 

 for the purpose of obtaining their perfume, which is much esteemed, 

 and bears a high price. Buffon affirms that, in Holland, the Civet 

 is put into a long wooden cage, so narrow that the creature can 

 not turn itself round. This cage being opened by a small door 

 behind, a spoon or spatula is introduced into the orifice of the 

 pouch, carefully scraped, and its contents put into a proper vessel. 

 This operation is repeated two or three times a-week ; the quantity 

 procured at once is from two scruples to a drachm ; and the 

 animal is said to produce most after being teazed or irritated. 



Genuine civet is of a yellowish or brownish colour, of an unctu- 

 ous consistency, and a strong smell, far from agreeable when undi- 



