Sio The Hijlory of A N I M A L 3. 
The whole body is variegated with a pale grey and whitifh colour, difpofed in tranf- 
verfe breaks, in the manner of the variegations of our tabby cats, and reaching from 
the ridge of the back to the lower part of the fides; the throat and belly are whitifh. 
This is a native of many parts of the Eaft, where it lives wild in the woods, and 
is frequently alfo kept tame in houfes, for the deftroy'ing of vermin. It is the mod: 
inoffenfive creature imaginable, and fo indefatigable in learch of mice, and other rep¬ 
tiles, that it is impoffible to open a box or a drawer almoft in any part of the houfe, 
but the creature is in it on the inftant. We have it brought over to Europe, and it 
lives very comfortably with us. I remember one at the late Duke of Richmond’s, 
which ufed to run tame about the houfe, and afforded great diverfion, in it’s efcapes 
from an Italian greyhound, that was eternally purfuing it. It is the nimbleft, in it’s 
motions, of all creatures, and the didance to which it will throw itfelf at one leap is 
furprifing j it is fo extreamly light, and fo deeply covered with fur, that it feems to 
float upon the air, when the motion is once given, and to be carried, without any new 
impulfe, to a furprifing didance. Ray and fome others have defcribed it; they call it 
Viverra Indica qus Mungo Lufitanis, Mungathia Ceylanenfibus 5 we call it the Mungo 
or Mungofe. 
Muftela ferruginea cruribus longioribus . 
The ferrugineous Muftela , with longer legs . 
This is fmaller than the preceding fpecies, but is otherwife like it in all but colour : 
the head is large and oval; the forehead fomewhat depreffed; the nofe fharp, and the 
upper jaw fomewhat, though not much, longer than the under: the eyes are large and 
prominent: the ears are fhort, eredt, and patulous j there are whifkers about the 
mouth, and over the eyes, and the teeth are not large, but very fharp. 
* 
The neck is fhort and thick 5 the body is compreffed j the legs are moderately long 
and flender, and the tail is very long, and covered with a deep fur j the claws are 
fharp, but not ftrong: the head is of a pale ferrugineous colour, very bright and glof- 
fy, and there is alfo fome greynefs about the eyes, and at the mouth the whifkers are 
black : the back is of a very deep ferrugineous brown, on the very ridge it almoft ap¬ 
proaches to black j the fides are paler, and the throat and belly are yet paler than 
either: the legs are dark, and the tail is irregularly, but fomewhat in the annulated 
manner, variegated with a very deep brown, and a paler or yellowifh ferrugineous. 
This is a native both of the Eaft and Weft Indies, and is kept in the houfes there, 
as we do cats to deftroy vermin. We have it fometimes brought alive to England, 
and it will live very comfortably with us. Authors have called it Mungo and Munga¬ 
thia fufca. It is not fo handfome as the former. 
L U T R A. 
T H E fore-teeth in the upper jaw in the Lutra are ftraight, diftindl, and acute j 
thofe of the under jaw are obtufe, and ftand in a cluttered manner with two 
inward : the ears are fituated lower than the eyes, and the feet are palmated and formed 
for fwimming. 
Lutra digitis omnibus cequalibus . 
The Lutra> with all the toes of equal length . 
Xlje £>tter* 
This is a large and a fierce animal; it’s length, including the tail, is more than three 
feet j the body is long and bulky, but the legs are fhort, fo that it walks very low: 
the head is fhort and thick j the forehead depreffed ; the nofe thick and rounded 5 the 
mouth is large; the noflrils are fmall, and there are on each fide, between the nof- 
trils and mouth, a number of whifkers: the eyes are large, and of a fierce afpedt; the 
ears are fhort and round, and they are fituated very odly; they do not {land on the 
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