54 
Quadrupeds. 
in this position, with both paws carries its food to its 
mouth. Even in a state of tameness, it will pursue 
poultry, and destroy every living thing that it has 
strength to conquer. AY hen it sleeps it rolls itself into 
a ball, and remains immovable for fifteen hours to- 
gether. Its eyes are small, but full of life ; and, when 
domesticated, it is very playful and amusing. A great 
peculiarity belonging to this animal is the length of its 
snout, which is movable in every direction. The ears 
are round, and like those of a rat; the fore feet have 
five toes each. The hair on the back is short and rough 
and of a blackish hue ; the tail marked with rings of 
black, like the wild cat ; the rest of the body is a mix- 
ture of black and red. This animal is very apt to eat 
its own tail, which is very long ; but this strange appe- 
tite is not peculiar to the Coati alone ; the mococo and 
some of the monkey tribe do the same, and seem to feel 
no pain in wounding a part of the body so remote from 
the centre of circulation. 
THE CIVET, (Viverra Civetta,) 
Is found in Northern Africa and Guinea, and is famous 
for producing the perfume called civet. He is kept for 
