ICHNEUMONS, small carniv orous animals of the civet family and sub-family Herpestince, which are distin guished from the true civets by the straight non-retractile claws, and various skeletal char acters. While there are a number of genera the typical and most important is Herpestes, many species of which inhabit Africa, southern Asia, and the neighboring islands. The teeth are numerous, usually 40; the head is elongated, with short rounded ears; the limbs are short; and the bodand stout tail are covered with long hairs. They vary in size from that of a squirrel to a cat. Their food consists of all bands of. small animals i rats and mice, birds and their eggs, snakes, lizards, etc., which they pursue chiefly on the ground but also in trees. The Egyptian ichneumon (H. ichneumon) or Pharoah's rat (or mouse) is famous as one of the many animals venerated by the ancient people of that country, because, it has been said, of its reputation as a destroyer of croco dile's eggs. While the eggs of this reptile may
be occasionally devoured, the importance of the ichneumon in this respect is purely mythical and it was protected, more likely, as a killer of the asp and other venomous serpents. Even now it is kept by many rural households there, as a hunter of rats, snakes and other vermin. The Indian ichneumon or mungoose (H. mun goes) is still better known. It lives in a semi domesticated state, and performs an invaluable service as a destroyer of venomous serpents, whose fangs it generally manages to escape by its wonderful agility. This species has been introduced into Jamaica for the purpose of destroying rats, and has multiplied exceedingly and become a serious pest, though of late years it has been held in check by a great increase in the number of ticks. See Mtmcoos.