68 A HAND-BOOK OF THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 



(66) THE MALAYAN CIYET. 

 (VIVEEEA TANGALUNGA-GW^.) 



Hab. — India, Sumatra, Malayan peninsula, Burmah. As this 

 animal lived only for a short time, in 1877, no special experience was 

 acquired. 



(67) THE SMALL INDIAN CIYET. 



(VIVEEEICTJLA MALACCENSIS— Gmel.) 



Bengali — Gandha goula. 



Description. — Elongated and slender in form. Head and body 

 about 21 to 23 inches, tail 15 to 17 inches. A specimen now living 

 in the garden measures approximately, head and body, 20 inches ; tail 

 14 f. General colour of the body brownish grey or pale yellowish brown ; 

 five to seven dark-brown longitudinal bands on the back, and several 

 rows of spots on the sides. A dark stripe crosses the throat, and two 

 from behind the ears pass on to the shoulder. Tail ringed alternately 

 black and white. The colour and markings vary in different specimens, 

 and from the observations taken of the creatures exhibited in this garden 

 it is certain that many of them change colour at different seasons of 

 the year : confinement appears to have some effect upon their coating. 



Hab. — With the exceptions of Sindh, the Punjab, and the western 

 parts of Kajputana, it occurs throughout India. Found in Ceylon, 

 Assam, Burmah, Southern China, the Malay peninsula, Java, Socotra, 

 Comoro Islands, and Madagascar. Often captured in the neighbour- 

 hood of Calcutta. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — The specimens exhibited in the garden have been kept 

 in one of the cages of the Kuch Behar House. As they are lightly-built 

 animals and somewhat inquisitive, they are likely to escape through 

 the gratings of a cage if the latter are not sufficiently close, and it is 

 therefore better to keep them in cages made of wire netting. A small 

 deal wood box, full of loose earth, and some hay or straw, may be 

 given them as a retiring place, so that they may burrow in the earth 

 if inclined to do so. 



Food. — May be fed on a mixed diet consisting of meat, boiled or 

 raw, eggs, plantains, and other fruits and bread : in fact it, like a large 

 civet, eats anything. 



Transport. — A small deal cage, 2 feet long, 1 foot or 15 inches 

 broad, and about as high, will comfortably accommodate a pair of 

 these animals. As they are not amiable in disposition, when wild, 

 two or more animals of unknown temper should not be put together, 



Treatment in sickness. 



Diarrhoea is the only disease from which some of these animals 

 have been noticed to suffer, and in such cases either the food was 

 stopped for a day or two or a change of diet prescribed. 



