CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 5. CARNIVORA. 
188 
THE RING-TAILED BASSAKIS. 
produces three or four at a birth. It is rather a rare animal in Texas, but is more abundant in 
parts of Mexico. The natives of that country call it Caco-mixtle. 
THE MANGOUSTES. 
The type of this family, whose name of Mangoustc is equiyalent to Ichneumon, or Herpestes^ is 
the famous Ichneumon of Egxjpt, sometimes called Pharaoh's Rat. The body of all the species 
is long- and slender ; they are lively in their motions, and so low on the legs as almost to scrape 
the ground. The fur is silky and mottled; the nails, generally five on each foot, are sharp and 
non-retractile. They feed on small animals, insects, and eggs, the latter constituting a large part 
of their food. 
We pass over the genera Suricate, Bdeogale, and CTmcTis, all belonging to Africa, but 
which present no species of particnlar interest. 
The Genus MANGOUSTE, Mangusta, or Herpestes, presents several interesting species, the 
first of which is the Ichneumon, M. ichneumon or II. ichneumon. This animal bears a close re- 
semblance to the weasel tribe, both in form and habits. From the tip of the nose to the root of 
the tail, it is about eighteen inches in length. At the base, the tail is very thick, tapering- gradually 
toward the point, which is slightly tufted. It has a long, active body, short legs, lively and 
piercing eyes, and a pointed nose ; the hair is rough and bristly, of a pale reddish gray. In a 
wild state, the ichneumon usually resides on the banks of rivers, and swims and dives like the 
otter, being able to keep under water for a great length of time. 
The ichneumon is celebrated in the mythology of ancient Egypt, where it has long been 
domcvsticated, and where it was ranked among its divinities, on account of its great utility in 
destroying serpents, snakes, rats, mice, and other vermin; it is also fond of crocodiles' eggs, 
which it digs out of the sand where they have been deposited. It is a very fierce, tliough small 
animal, and will fight with dogs, foxes, and even jackals, with great fury. It will not breed in 
confinement, but may be easily tamed when taken young. 
The following particulars are related by M. D'Orbsonville, in his "Essays on the Nature of 
various Foreign Animals : " "I had an ichneumon very young, which I brought up. I fed it at 
