580 ICHNEUMON^. 
a native of India, and the other of Africa. Both 
agree in their general appearance, but the Egyp- 
tian variety is considerably larger than the In- 
dian; measuring more than forty inches from the 
nose to the end of the tail ; whereas the Indian 
Ichneumon scarce exceeds two thirds of this 
length: exclusive of size alone, the Jigyptian 
Ichneumon is distinguished by having the tail 
slightly tufted at the end, which the other has 
not; and from this circumstance it is placed, 
in the Gmelinian edition of the Systema Naturas, 
as a distinct species. The Ichneumon is of a 
pale reddish-grey colour, each hair being mottled 
Avith brown or dusky, so that the whole appears 
speckled in the manner of the hair on some of the 
larger Baboons. The eyes are of a bright red or 
flame-colour: the ears rounded, and almost na- 
ked : the nose long and slender : the body rather 
thicker than in most others of this genus; and 
the tail is very thick at the base, and from thence 
gradually tapers almost to a point: the legs are 
short: the hair on the whole animal is hard and 
coarse, and it varies somewhat as to the depth 
and cast of its colours in different individuals. In 
India, but still more in yEgypt, the Ichneumon 
has always been considered as one of the most 
useful and estimable of animals ; since it is an in- 
veterate enemy to serpents, rats, and other nox- 
ious creatures which infest those regions. In India 
it attacks, with the greatest eagerness and cou- 
rage, that most dreadful reptile, the Cobi'a dc 
Capello, or hooded Snake^ and easily destroys it. 
