CARNIVORA. 
95 
to preponderate in this animal ; but Dr. Horsfield 
thinks it more properly classed with the cats. In 
strict method it certainly forms a distinct genus ; 
but all system is artificial, and too much refinement 
may probably defeat the very object to be expected 
from methodical disposition ; and as the distinctions 
between specific and generic characters are in some 
degree arbitrary, it may be useful to bear in mind 
the adage of “ nothing too much and not to per- 
plex, when clearness and precision should form the 
first object of attention. The animals last described 
have been called canine cats ; the present may, with 
equal justice, be named the feline weasel. 
This animal appears to be, all over, of a pale 
yellow or fawn colour, with the belly and insides of 
the limbs, as usual, a little lighter ; four broad irre- 
gular bands, of a deep brown colour, pass over the 
back of the animal, terminating about half way 
down each side ; there are other irregular blotches 
about it, of a similar colour : and the tail has nine 
annuli, with the tip of it fawn colour. 
It is to be lamented that Dr. Horsfield could 
obtain no account of its manners and habits, which 
would be particularly interesting of an animal in 
itself so singular. 
As these points of contact between different ge- 
nera occur so frequently, it would be perplexing to 
determine which of them should be followed, in de- 
scribing the animal world successively. This dif- 
ficulty, however, is avoided by that method which 
adopts the characters of the teeth in successive de- 
scriptions. 
