Note 124 — Chapter IX
William Johnston translation
The Malabar Marapatti is by no means the Serval of the naturalists. The latter, as is well known, is a kind of lynx; whereas the Marapatti is an Indian variety of the Viverra ichneumon, for it is improper to make a distinct kind of the Mungo.—The ichneumon climbs up the palm-trees and eats the fruit of them, as well as cats, mice, and particularly snakes, but especially the poisonous kind, Naja, called in the Portuguese Cobra de Cabelo. F.