A WILD CAT 99 



strip of forest we had a good view of a fossa,* a fine 

 cat peculiar to Madagascar, which stood in the 

 middle of the track and gazed at the car. When 

 we had approached to within about 50 yards, 

 however, it dashed off into the forest. In another 

 place we rushed through a party of guinea-fowls, 

 old and young, which scattered themselves right 

 and left to avoid the tram. 



The following two days were spent in collecting 

 in the neighbourhood of the harbour. Here were 

 some of the largest sharks I have ever seen, and 

 every morning two or three of these monsters 

 were swimming idly round the yacht, but they 

 would not take a bait of any kind. They were in 

 every case surrounded by a shoal of sucking fish. 



On March 9th, 1906, we left Madagascar for 

 Glorioso Island. 



* Cryptoprocta ferox. 



