350 MAPURITO, AND CAPE WEASEL. 
Chmchc.or Viverra Mephitica ; but is of a black 
colour, with a changeable cast of blue, and has 
along the back a row of round white spots reach- 
ing from head to tail. The head is long ; the cars 
large,. w r ei! covered with hair, and pendulous : 
the hind legs longer than the fore. It is a native 
of Chili. It generally carries its head low, its 
back arched, and its tail, which is very bushy, 
spread over its back like that of a squirrel. In 
its manners and vapour it is said to agree with 
those before described. Molina affirms that the 
same proceeds from a certain greenish oil, ejected 
from a follicle or receptacle near the tail. The 
Indians are said to value the skin of this species 
©n account of its beauty, and to use it for various 
purposes. 
Mapurito. 
This is said to measure twenty inches to the 
tail, which is nine inches long, and whitish at the 
tip. It inhabits New Spain, and burrows under 
ground, feeding on worms and insects. Perhaps 
it is no other than a variety of the mephitic wea- 
sel. 
The quasje is supposed to he a variety of the co- 
atimonds ; and the Ceylonese weasel is thought to 
be the same as the Ceylonese dog. 
Cape weasel, or stinkbinksen* 
This is one of the larger animals of the genus, 
measuring two feet from nose to tail, which is 
eight inches long. Its colour is a cinereous grey 
above, and brownish black below ; the two co- 
lours being separated along the whole length of 
the animal, from the base of the nose to the tail, 
by a stripe of black and white : the ears are scarce 
