HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



The ICHNEUMON. 



This animal, in Egypt, is domeftic, like the Cat; and 

 is retained by the natives for the fame ufeful purpofes of 

 clearing their houfes of rats and mice. — —With all the 

 ftrength and agility of the Cat, it has a more general ap- 

 petite for carnage. It attacks, without dread, the moll 

 deadly ferpents j and preys on every noxious reptile of 

 the torrid zone, which it feizes and kills with great avi- 

 dity. — It is faid, that when it is wounded by a ferpent, 

 and begins to feel the efFe6l of the poifon, it immediate- 

 ly has recourfe to a certain root, which the Indians call 

 after its name, and affert that it is an antidote for the 

 bite of any venomous reptile. 



The Ichneumon is the moft formidable enemy of the 

 Crocodile : It deftroys its eggs, which it digs out of the 

 fand, where they are laid to hatch by the heat of the 

 fun ; and kills great numbers of young Crocodiles foon 

 after their production, before they are able to reach the 

 water. It was for this reafon that the ancient Egyptians 

 worfhipped this animal, and ranked the Ichneumon a- 

 mong thofe deities that were moft propitious to them. 



In its domeftic ftate, it is perfectly tame and gentle. 

 M. d'Obfonvilie fpeaks of one which he reared from a 



