404 CRYPTOPROCTA CHAP. 
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 alhed 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 4M. 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 ' represents a 
special sub-family, Cryptoproctinae, and includes only a single 
species, the Fossa (C. feror) 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 Pseudaelurus) 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+, is 
1 Beddard in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1895, p. 430. ° 
