404 CRYPTOPROCTA 



native of Madagascar, where all the most peculiar Viverridae 

 live. 



Sub-Fam. 2. Galidictiinae. Mivart has placed in this sub- 

 family the three Mascarene genera, Galidia, Hemigalidia, and 

 Galidictis. In them the orbit is not enclosed by bone ; there is 

 no alisphenoid canal, and there are five toes and fingers. 



Galidia consists of but one species, G. elegans, of a chestnut 

 brown colour, with a tail ringed with black. The claws are not 

 retractile. The scent gland is absent. There are five digits 

 upon both hand and foot. There are three premolars and two 

 molars on each side of each jaw. The caecum is (for an Aeluroid) 

 long, and pointed at the apex ; it is quite twice the length of that 

 of Genetta. 



Closely allied to Galidia is the genus Hemigalidia, of which 

 there are two species. It is distinguished from the last genus by 

 the non-annulated tail. It also differs in the dental formula, 

 which is for the molars Pm ^ M ^. This animal is termed by 

 Buffon the Vansire. He correctly enumerates its grinders, and 

 distinguishes it from the Ferret ! 



Galidictis is a third genus from Madagascar containing 

 two species, one of which has been unfortunately named G. 

 vittata, leading perhaps to some confusion with the totally 

 distinct Galictis vittata. As in the last two genera the digits 

 are five. The dental formula is that of Galidia. It is dis- 

 tinguished from the other two genera of its sub-family by the 

 longitudinal brown striping of the upper part of the greyish 

 body. 



Sub-Fam. 3. Cryptoproctinae. Cryptoprocta 1 represents a 

 special sub-family, Cryptoproctinae, and includes only a single 

 species, the Fossa (C. ferox) of Madagascar. It is the largest 

 Carnivore of Madagascar, being about twice the size of a Cat, 

 but with an elongated body; the colour is a tawny brown 

 with no striping. The animal is active and lithe in its 

 motions, and is said to be of almost unexampled ferocity in 

 disposition. Its exact systematic position has been much dis- 

 cussed. By Zittel it is placed in a sub-family (including the 

 extinct Proaelurus and Pseudadurus) of the Felidae. Mivart 

 and Lydekker, on the other hand, regard it as a genus of the 

 Viverridae. The dental formula of the molars, Pm M-k is 



o J 



1 Beddard in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1895, p. 430. 



