THE ICHNEUMON. "79

The Civits. The family Viverride includes a large number
of species of small carnivorous animals of which the Civits
and the Ichneumons are the best known. They belong
chiefly to Africa and South Asia, but some are found in
the south of Europe. The African Civit hails from Gaboon
and Abyssinia and the Asiatic variety from Bengal, Nepaul,
China and Formosa. It is from these animals that we get
the fatty substance, used in perfumery and known as
civit. Of this Mr. Piesse says: “In is pure state, civit
has to nearly all persons a most disgusting odour, but when
diluted to an infinitesimal portion its perfume its agreeable.
The Genet, and the Paradoxure are other genera of this
family.”

The Ichneumon. The Ichneumon numbers some fifteen genera,
and sixty species. The best known of these is the grey
Ichneumon which comes from India or adjacent countries.
Naturally savage it soon becomes tame under kindly treat-
ment. It seems to have a natural enmity towards serpents,
which it attacks and destroys. The Mahrattas say that it
neutralizes the effects of snake bites by eating the root of
the monguswail. Captain Brown records an experiment in
- which the ichneumon was placed in a room with a poisonous
serpent which it tried to avoid. On the two being removed
to the open air, the ichneumon is said to have immediately
darted at the serpent and destroyed it, afterwards retiring
to the wood and eating a portion of the plant said to be
an antidote to the serpent’s venom. The Ichneumon is
about the size of the domestic cat and of a dark silver
grey colour. The Egyptian Ichneumon much resembles the
cat in its habits and manners and is so deadly a foe to
reptiles and vermin, that it is domesticated with a view to
their destruction. It is remarkably quick in its movements,
darting with unerring aim at the head of the reptile it
attacks. It displays also the cat’s patience in watching for
its prey. It has a great liking for crocodile’s eggs and with