It is of the genius Viverra, and is exceedingly fierce when attacked.

It preys chiefly upon fowls, hares, rats, etc.

Its great peculiarity is the musk-bag or gland situated nearly under the tail; this is a projecting and valued gland, which secretes the musk, and is used medicinally by the Cingalese, on which account it is valued at about six shillings a pod.
The smell is very powerful, and in my opinion very offensive, when the animal is alive; but when a pod of musk is extracted and dried, it has nothing more than the well-known scent of that used by perfumers.

The latter is more frequently the production of the musk-deer, although the scent is possessed by many animals, and also insects, as the musk-ox, the musk-deer, the civet or musk-cat, the musk-rat, the musk-beetle, etc.
Of these, the musk-rat is a terrible plague, as he perfumes everything that he passes over, rendering fruit, cake, bread, etc., perfectly uneatable, and even flavoring bottled wine by running over the bottles.
This, however, requires a little explanation, although it is the popular belief that he taints the wine through the glass.
The fact is, he taints the cork, and the flavor of musk is communicated to the wine during the process of uncorking the bottle.
There is a great variety of rats in Ceylon, from the tiny shrew to the large "bandicoot".

This is a most destructive creature in all gardens, particularly among potato crops, whole rows of which he digs out and devours.