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MAMMALIA. 
Genus Genetta . — The Genets are elegant animals, very closely 
allied to the preceding in form and habits. Their bodies are more 
slender, the head finer, and size notably less. Their claws are 
almost entirely retractile ; and their fur, which is speckled with 
black spots on a pale fawn-coloured ground, has a very pretty 
appearance, and is an object of considerable trade. 
The Genets emit, like the Civets, a musky odour, but their 
secretion is so trifling as to make it not worth collecting. It 
frequents the borders of streams, and the neighbourhood of 
springs. 
One species is found in certain parts of Western and Southern 
Europe ; this is the Genet vulgaris (Fig. 169), common enough in 
the South of France, and chiefly in the vicinity of Perpignan. 
Fig. 170. — The Genet {Genetta vulgaris, Linn.). 
The other species belong to Africa, Madagascar, and Southern 
Asia, as well as to the Indian Archipelago. 
We may add to the Civets and Genets the Paradoxures (Fig. 
171), animals belonging to India and the neighbouring islands, 
and which are about the size of a cat. They climb trees, and 
feed both on animal and vegetable substances. That which Fr. 
Cuvier examined at the menagerie of the Jardin des Plantes 
had the tail constantly rolled up, and always on the same side; 
for this reason he gave it the name of Paradoxure , being desirous 
of indicating that this animal had an extraordinary or paradoxical 
tail ! Works on Natural History enumerate numerous species of 
Paradoxures, 
Genus Cynogale . — The Cynogale is the representative of the 
Otter among Yiverridse. Like that animal, it has palmated feet, 
