I C H 
red J wliofe bite is highly venomous, ancl always 
attended with the moft alarming efFefts. 
IBIS. An Egyptian bird of the ftork kind; to 
which divine honouis were formerly paid by the 
fuperftitious natives, becaufe inftrumental in de- 
ilroying the ferpents, locufts, and other noxious in- 
fers, with which that country is over-run. Some 
have confounded this bird with the htematopus, 
or red-leggcd heron; and others have candidly 
owned their ignorance of what the ancients in- 
tended by the Ibis. However, according to the 
beft-informed naturalifts, it is wholly black; the 
beak is long, hooked, and red ; the legs are of the 
fame colour; and the neck is as long as that of 
the heron. It feems to be peculiar to Egypt; and 
though it generally frequents the vicinity of the 
Nile, it never trufts itfelf in the water, nor indeed 
is it adapted for fwimming. It generally builds 
it's nefl in palm-trees, in order to avoid the cats. 
Aldrovandus relates, that the flefli of the Ibis is 
red, like that of the falmon ; that it is fweet to the 
tafte; and that the fl<in is extremely hard and 
tough. 
IBITIN. A ferpent of an uncommon fize, 
and of the moft dangerous nature, found in the 
Philippine Illes. It twifts it's tail round the trunk 
of a tree, and ftrikes either man or beaft that hap- 
pens to come in it's way with unerring and fatal 
aim; after which it devours them, and fqueezes it- 
felf againft fome tree, purpofely to digeft what it 
has eaten. 
ICHNEUMON; the Viverra Ichneumon of 
T-,innrEus. This animal, which fome authors have 
injudicioufly denominated the Cat of Pharaoh, is 
one of the boldeft as well as moft beneficial ani- 
mals of the weafel kind. In Egypt, where it is 
chiefly bred, it anfwers all the purpofes of the Eu- 
ropean cat, and is even more ferviceable in de- 
ftroying vermin. It is ufually of the fize of the 
martin ; and greatly refembles it, except that it's 
hair, which is generally of a griftly black hue, is 
rougher and iefs dov/ny; the tail is alfo lefs buOiy 
at the extremity; and every fingle hair pofiTefles 
three or four different colours, which are feen in 
different difpofitions of it's body. Under the 
longer hairs there is a fofter fur of a brownifh co- 
lour, the rough hair being about two inches long; 
but the legs, paws, and fnout, are covered with 
only one fort of fliort fmooth hair. To all the 
fcrength of the cat, the Ichneumon unites a fupe- 
rior fhare of inftintl and agility, a more univerfal 
appetite for carnage, and a greater variety of pow- 
ers for it's acquifition. Rats, mice, ferpents, li- 
zards, and infefts, are all equally the objeils of it's 
purfuit: it attacks every living creature which it 
is able to overcome, and indifcriminately preys on 
•ffefh of all kinds. It's courage can only be equal- 
led by the vehemence of it's appetite: it neither 
Hands in awe of the power of the dog, the infi- 
dious malice of the cat, the claws of the vulture, 
nor the fangs of the viper. It wages war with all 
kinds of ferpents, however venomous; and, when- 
ever it begins to perceive the effects of their rage, 
-we are inform.ed that it has recourfe to a certain 
root which the Indians call by it's name, returns 
to the attack, and feldom fails of viftory. 
Nor does the Ichneumon ufurp dominion over 
the fmaller tribes of animals only : it kills the young 
alligators before they are able to reach the water; 
and, as fable generally magnifies acknowledged 
abilities, it is faid to enter the mouth of the croco- 
dile when fleeping on the fliore, to devour it's en- 
I C H 
trails, and eat it's way out again. However this 
may be, it certainly is highly beneficial to the na- 
tives in deftroying the eggs of that creature, which 
it digs out of the fand: and for this rcafon it was 
worfliipped by the ancient Egyptians, who confi- 
dered every thing that v/as ferviceable as an ema-, 
nation of the Deity ; and paid hom.age to fuch, as 
the beft reprefentatives of God below. Indeed, 
when we confider the number of eggs v^hich the 
crocodile lays at one time, we have reafon to ad- 
mire the utility of this iitde animal, as well as it's 
induftry, in deftroying them ; fmce otherwife the 
vaft multitudes of alligators produced would be 
fufficient to over-run almoft the whole earth. 
The Ichneumon, in a ftate of nature, generally 
refides along the banks of rivers; but, during in- 
undations, makes to the higher grounds, and often 
approaches human habitations in queft of prey. Ic 
advances cautioufly and filendy, changing it's 
manner of moving according to it's neceffities: 
fometimes it carries it's head high, Ihortens it's 
body, and raifes itfelf on it's legs; at others, it 
lengthens itfelf, and creeps along the ground; and 
it is often obfcrved to fit on it's hind-legs like a 
dog, and frequently to dart with amazing velocity 
on it's prey. It's eyes are fprightly, and full of 
fire; it's phyfiognomy is fenfible, it's body nim- 
ble, it's tail long, and it's hair rough and va- 
rious. It's nofe is fo lharp, and it's mouth fo fmaU, 
that it cannot eafily feize on large animals: how- 
ever, it compenfates by it's courage and activity 
the defefts of nature; it eafily ftrangles a car, 
though ftronger and larger than itfelf; and often 
contends with dogs, which foon learn to dread it 
as a formidable enemy. Like all it's kind, it is 
furnifhed with glands in it's pofteriors, which ex- 
fude an odorous fubftance. It takes the water 
like the otter; and, according to fome, can live 
under it for a confidcrable time without relpira- 
tion. 
As thefe animals foon arrive at maturity, their 
lives are confequently but fhort. They abound in 
all the fouthern parts of Afia, from Egypt to Java; 
and are alfo found in Africa, particularly at the 
Cape of Good Hope. In Egypt, they have been 
long domefticated; but, in the colder European 
climates, it is difficult to breed or fupport them: 
neverthelefs, direfted by inftinft, they ufe every 
precaution for their prefervation ; they wrap them- 
felves up into balls, hiding their heads between 
their legs; and in this manner they continue to 
fleep the greatePc part of their time. Seba informs 
us, that one of thefe creatures was fent to him 
from the Ifle of Ceylon, which he permitted to run 
for fome months about the houfe. It proved 
heavy and flothful by day, and often could not be 
awaked even by a blow; but it made amends for 
this inaftivity by it's nofliurnal diligence, fmelling 
then about, without either being wholly tame or 
wholly mifchievous. It climbed walls and trees 
with great facility; and appeared extremely fond 
of fpiders and worm-s, which, fiom their refem- 
blance to ferpents, it probably preferred to it's na- 
tural food. It was alfo particularly fond of 
fcratching up holes in the ground; and this cir- 
cumftance, added to it's wildnefs and uncleanlinefs, 
induced our naturalift to lirjother it, in order to 
preferve it in fpirits for his mufeum. 
Ichneumon, Indian, The Indian Ichneumon 
is about the fize of the ferret, being sbout twenty- 
feven inches long. The nofe, which is pretty 
fliarp, is covered with ihorc hairs of a reddifh 
brown 
