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family Viverridæ. Numerous species are found in Asia and Africa. The Egyptian species(H. ichneumon), which ranges to Spain and Palestine, is noted for destroying the eggs and young of the crocodile as well as various snakes and lizards, and hence was considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians. The common species of In…

Of or pertaining to the Ichneumonidæ, or ichneumon flies. -- n.

The ichneumon flies.

a group of hymenopterous insects whose larvæ feed parasitically upon living insects. See Ichneumon,

An extensive order of insects, including the bees, ants, ichneumons, sawflies, etc.

A South African carnivore (Cynictis penicillata), allied to the ichneumons.

A species of ichneumon (Herpestes griseus), native of India. Applied also to other allied species, as the African banded mongoose (Crossarchus fasciatus). [Written also mungoose, mungoos, mungous.]

The ichneumon.

A species of ichneumon (Herpestes nyula). Its fur is beautifully variegated by closely set zigzag markings.

The organ with which many insects and some other animals deposit their eggs. Some ichneumon files have a long ovipositor fitted to pierce the eggs or larvæ of other insects, in order to lay their own eggs within the same.

on Egyptian monuments. It is nearly white in color. -- Pharaoh's rat (Zoöl.), the common ichneumon.

A group of parasitic Hymenoptera, including the ichneumon flies, which destroy the larvæ and pupæ of insects.

The crab-eating ichneumon (Herpestes urva), native of India. The fur is black, annulated with white at the tip of each hair, and a white streak extends from the mouth to the shoulder.

An ichneumon (Herpestes galera) native of Southern Africa and Madagascar. It is reddish brown or dark brown, grizzled with white. Called also vondsira, and marsh ichneumon.