M4 NATURAL HISTORY OF AFRICA. 
Of the hedgehog tribe (erinaceus) there is one 
species entitled iEgypticus, which is said to be pe- 
culiar to Egypt ; and, in the island of Madagascar, 
there are four species of a genus very nearly allied 
to the hedgehog, named by Cuvier Centetes. The 
shrew (sorex) tribe has also been met with in 
Africa, for there is a species described as a native 
of the Cape of Good Hope. 
The common mole (talpa Europea) is found in 
many districts in Africa. Travellers mention an 
animal as occurring in the vicinity of the Cape of 
Good Hope, which has been described under the 
name golden mole, from the singular appearance of 
its fur, which exhibits beautiful changing irides- 
cent colours, somewhat resembling those observed 
in the hair of a South American marsupial animal. 
But it differs from the mole in the form of its skull, 
and the nature of its teeth ; and hence has been 
considered as forming a distinct genus named 
Chrysochloris. 
The civet cat (viverra civetta), which secretes in 
a bag, under its tail, the perfume called civet, is 
found only in Africa, and the famous ichneumon 
(viverra ichneumon) worshipped by the ancient 
Egyptians, does not appear to occur in any other 
quarter of the globe. 
Animals of the bear tribe (ursus) occur but sel- 
dom in this continent ; the black bear (ursus niger) 
is met with among the mountains of Barbary. 
