CIVET. 397 
sort of mane: the head is of a lengthened or 
sharpish form ; with short rounded ears : the eyes 
are of a bright sky-blue: the tip of the nose 
black: the sides of the face, chin, breast, legs, 
and feet, are black; the remainder of the face, 
and part of the sides of the neck, are of a yellow- 
ish-white ; from each ear are three black stripes, 
terminating at the throat and shoulders : the tail 
is generally black, but sometimes is marked with 
pale or whitish spots on each side the base. It 
is an animal of a wild disposition, and lives in the 
usual manner of others of this genus, preying 
on birds, the smaller quadrupeds, &c. It is re- 
markable for the production of the drug called 
civet (sometimes erroneously confounded with 
musk). This substance is a secretion formed in 
a large double glandular receptacle, situated at 
some little distance beneath the tail, and which 
the animal empties spontaneously. When the 
Civet Cats are kept in a state of confinement (as 
is usual with the perfumers at Amsterdam and 
other places), they are placed, from time to time, 
in strong wooden cages or receptacles, so con- 
structed as to prevent the creature from turning 
round and biting the person employed in col- 
lecting the secreted substance: this operation is 
said to be generally performed twice a week, and 
is done by scraping out the civet with a small 
spatula or spoon. This substance is of a yellow- 
ish colour, and of the consistence of an unguent ; 
of an extremely strong and even unpleasant odour 
when fresh, so as sometimes to cause giddiness 
