Page:Charles Catton, Animals (1788).pdf/53



the limited knowledge of man, and the unlimited bounds of the animal creation, another intance occurs in the ubject we are now to decribe. This animal mut be conidered as a non-decript; the regularity and proportion of the features are uch, that it appears a perfect animal, that is not a variation produced by chance, nor the offpring of a micellaneous copulation.

The body is twelve inches long, and with the legs and head is black; on the back are four longitudinal, broad, waved tripes of white; in the front of the forehead is a mall triangular pot of the ame; the ears are hort and round, and white on the inide, which is continued a little down the face; the tail is 10 inches long, very full and buhy, the hair oft and fine; the tail in general is down, but erect, as hewn in the drawing, when pleaed or frightened; has five claws on the fore legs, and four on the hind ones; teeth are very mall and fine; leeps in the day time, at preent in a lady’s kin muff; when awake in continual motion; is very agile and frolickome; is very tame and docile; anwers to the name of “Jack,” and readily comes to any one when called: legs rather hort.

Was brought from Bengal lat ummer, by Capt. Gell, of one of the King’s hips; is now in the poeion of Sir Joeph Banks, by whoe permiion this drawing was made.

Upon the whole, the tail of the animal, when erect, is like that of the Squirrel; but, from the hape of the body, we think it more properly claes with the Weael tribe: indeed, the name handed to us was "THE STRIPED POLE CAT."