THE CIVET. 195 
of a drug called civet, which is sometimes 
^tToneously confounded with musk. It is a 
^^cretion formed in a small pouch under the 
*^ail, which the animal empties spontaneously, 
^he Dutch keep many of them alive at Am- 
^erdam for the purpose of obtaining this drug. 
Uttina; the creature into a wooden cage so 
Harrow that it cannot turn round, they empty 
pouch by means of a small spoon, or spa- 
twice or thrice a week. The civet thus 
l^i^ocured, being unadulterated, is held in 
^*gher estimation than that from India and 
Levant. It is so powerful as to be almost 
’■^Supportable, when a person is shut up in 
same room with the animal ; but the smell 
a small quantity is more agreeable than 
*’’’isk, to which it bears some resemblance. 
