40 
THE ICHNEUMON. 
The Middle Ant-eater measures one foot seven inches from nose 
to root of the tail, which is ten inches long, and with which it 
secures its hold in climbing trees by twisting it around the 
branches. It inhabits the same countries and procures its food 
in the same manner as the first named animal. 
The Lesser Ant-eater is much smaller than the middle species, 
being not over six or seven inches in length, from nose to tail; its 
head is two inches long, and has a sharp pointed nose, inclining 
downwards ; its fur is long, soft and silky, of a yellowish brown 
color. It inhabits Guiana, and climbs trees in quest of a species 
of ants that build their nests in the branches. 
% 
THE ICHNEUMON. 
his is a small yellowish grey animal of the weasel kind 
measuring from the tip of the nose to the extremity of the 
tail from thirty to forty inches, nearly half of which is 
occupied by the tail. Its eyes are of a bright red ; its ears are 
small and rounded ; its legs are short. This animal is domestic 
in Egypt, and, like the cat, is serviceable in destroying rats and 
mice ; its instinct, however, is much stronger than that of the 
cat, for it hunts alike birds, quadrupeds, serpents, lizards and in- 
sects, and devours crocodiles eggs, which are deposited in the 
sand ; nor does it spare chickens, if it can get at them. It lives 
by the side of rivers, inundations, and other waters, and, like the 
otter, it can swim and dive, and remain for a long while under 
the surface of the water. It quits its burrow to seek for prey at 
night, creeping cautiously like a serpent, and then erects itself on 
its hind legs to see whether danger or prey is near. Both the 
