70 A HAND-BOOK OF THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 



(70) THE INDIAN PALM CIVET. 



(PARADOXUEUS NIGER— Beam.) 



(71) THE MALAYAN PALM CIVET. 



(PAKADOXURUS HERMAPHRODITUS— (Pall.) ) 



Bengali — Bham, Bhondar, Gandagaula. 



These two species (70 and 71) are so much alike that they may be 

 mentioned together. They have the same synonyms in Bengali, and 

 no specific distinction is recognized. They are so common and well 

 known that any description is unnecessary. They appear to differ in the 

 following respects : — 



Muzzle. — That of the Indian palm civet, produced and narrow ; of 

 the Malayan shorter. 



Tail — About as long as the head and body, and well clad with hair 

 in the Indian civet; in the Malayan species, about three quarters the 

 length of the head and body, and not so well clad with hair. 



The colour and fur. — The general colour of the Indian species is 

 blackish grey to brownish grey, and fur long, coarse and abundant ; 

 the colour of the Malayan palm civet is brownish grey, sometimes ashy, 

 and fur less abundant. 



Stripes and markings — Vary in both the species. In the Indian 

 species the stripes on the back are generally indistinct or wanting ; 

 in the Malayan palm civets the longitudinal stripes on the back are 

 well marked, the sides of the body often spotted, and the upper parts 

 of the limbs barred. The young specimens of the Indian palm civet 

 are also striped and spotted. No white band across the forehead in the 

 Indian species; in the Malayan there is. Both the species are subject 

 to much individual variation with regard to their stripes and other 

 markings. 



Sab. — The Indian palm civet is found throughout India, with the 

 exceptions of the Punjab and Sindh; rare in North-West Provinces, 

 Bombay, the Deccan ; it is also found in Ceylon. The Malayan palm civet 

 is found in Bengal, Burmah, Siam, the Malayan peninsula, Sumatra, 

 Java and Borneo. Both the species occur side by side in Lower Bengal. 

 Animals of intermediate forms, i.e., resembling both these creatures, are 

 also very common. Palm civets have been received from the following 

 places : — Calcutta and its neighbourhood, Dacca, Mymensingh, Ceylon, 

 Midnapore, Madras, Burmah, Gya, Malda, &c. 



Length of life in captivity. 



Although so common and living in a wild state within the garden, 

 these animals do not appear to bear captivity well, so that none of 

 them ever lived for more than five or six years. 



Treatment in health. 



Sousing, — The palm civets are kept in the Kuch Behar House. 

 As they are extremely quarrelsome creatures, it is advisable to keep 



