. The popular natural history . Zoology. 56 THE MOONGUS. rous reptiles. Small and insignificant as this animal appears, it is a most dangerous foe to the huge crocodile, leeding largely upon its eggs. , rats, lizards, mice, and various birds fall a prey to this Ichneumon, which will pamfuUy track its prey to its hiding-place, and wait patiently for hours until it makes its appearance, or will quietly creep up to the unsuspecting animal, ana flinging itself boldly upon it destroy it by rapid bites with its long sharp teeth. Taking advannge of these admirable qualities, the ancient Egypti
. The popular natural history . Zoology. 56 THE MOONGUS. rous reptiles. Small and insignificant as this animal appears, it is a most dangerous foe to the huge crocodile, leeding largely upon its eggs. , rats, lizards, mice, and various birds fall a prey to this Ichneumon, which will pamfuUy track its prey to its hiding-place, and wait patiently for hours until it makes its appearance, or will quietly creep up to the unsuspecting animal, ana flinging itself boldly upon it destroy it by rapid bites with its long sharp teeth. Taking advannge of these admirable qualities, the ancient Egyptians were wont to tame the Ichneumon, and admit it to the free range of their houses. The colour of this animal is a brown, plentifully grizzled with grey, each hair being ringed alternately with grey and brown. The total length of the aniirial is about three feet three inches, the tail measuring about eighteen. .\IO.^i.—{Herfestes Ichneumon.) inches. The scent-gland of the Ichneumon is very large in proportion to the size of its bearer, but the substance which it secretes has not as yet been held of any commercial value. The claws are partially retractile. The word Ichneumon is Greek, and literally signifies " a ; The MOONGUS, sometimes called the INDIAN ICHNEUMON, is, in its Asiatic home, as useful an animal as the Egyptian Ichneumon in Africa. In that country it is an indefatigable destroyer of rats, mice, and the various reptiles, and is on that account highly valued and protected. Being, as are Ichneumons in general, extremely cleanly in manners, and very susceptible of domestication, it is kept tame in many families, and does good service in keeping the houses clear of the various animated pests that render an Indian town a disagreeable and sometimes a dangerous residence. In its customs it very much resembles the cat, and is gifted with all the inquisitive nature of that animal. When first introduced into a new locality it runs about the place,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
