^60 
CARNIVORA. 
It is rarely seen by day ; but at nigbt visits neigh- 
bouring towns and villages, inhabited by Mahome- 
dans, and scratches up the recently-buried bodies of 
the dead, unless they are quickly covered with thorny 
bushes. 
The natives, when encouraged . by the expecta- 
tion of purchasers, dig these animals out of their sub- 
terraneous retreats, and take them alive. The full 
grown ones are with difficulty secured, and seldom 
bear confinement long, but roll and beat themselves 
about till they die. When taken young, they are 
very manageable, docile, and playful. It is a bold 
animal ; its hide remarkably thick, and its strength 
too much for most dogs of common size. Its general 
food is flesh in any state ; but it is remarkably eager 
after birds, and living rats seem almost equally ac- 
ceptable. It has an inclination to climb upon walls, 
hedges, and trees : this, however, it seems to execute 
clumsily; but seldom falls, and will ramble securely 
upon every arm of a branching tree, that proves 
strong enough to bear its weight without much 
motion. This species burrows with great facility; 
scratching the earth, like a dog, with the fore feet, 
and expelling the loosened soil to the distance of two 
or three yards backward. In ten minutes it will 
work itself under cover in the hardest ground; and 
is restless till it can form such a retreat to sleep in. 
It sleeps much by day; is watchful during the night, 
discovering inquietude by a hoarse call or bark, pro- 
ceeding from the throat. The hair is short and wiry. 
