Hypertext Webster Gateway: "ichneumon"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Ichneumon \Ich*neu"mon\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?, lit., the tracker;
so called because it hunts out the eggs of the crocodile, fr.
? to track or hunt after, fr. ? track, footstep.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) Any carnivorous mammal of the genus
{Herpestes}, and family {Viverrid[ae]}. 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
India ({H. griseus}), known as the mongoose, has similar
habits and is often domesticated. It is noted for killing
the cobra.
2. (Zo["o]l.) Any hymenopterous insect of the family
{Ichneumonid[ae]}, of which several thousand species are
known, belonging to numerous genera.
Note: The female deposits her eggs upon, or in, the bodies of
other insects, such as caterpillars, plant lice, etc.
The larva lives upon the internal tissues of the insect
in which it is parasitic, and finally kills it. Hence,
many of the species are beneficial to agriculture by
destroying noxious insects.
{Ichneumon fly}. See {Ichneumon}, 2.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
ichneumon
n : North African mongoose; in ancient times thought to devour
crocodile eggs [syn: {Herpestes ichneumon}]
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