CHAPTER I II 



THE FOSSA, CIVETS, AND ICHNEUMONS 



I 



rn~.lt e, y>. S. kudlanj &> Sons 



FOSSA 



The only feline animal of Madagascar 



THE FOSSA 



N the FOSSA Madagascar 

 possesses an altogether 

 peculiar animal. It is a 

 very slender, active creature, 

 with all its proportions much 

 elongated. It is of a bright 

 bay uniform colour, with thick 

 fur, and has sharp retractile 

 claws. It has been described 

 as the natural connecting link 

 between the Civets and the 

 Cats, anatomically speaking. 

 Thus it has retractile claws, 

 but does not walk on its toes, 

 like cats, but on the soles of 

 its feet (the hind pair of which 

 is quite naked), like a civet. 

 Very few have been brought 



to captivity ; indeed, the first time that one was exhibited in the Zoological Gardens was only 



ten years ago. Formerly stories were told of its ferocity, which was compared to that of the 



tiger. These tales were naturally the subject of ridicule. The fossa usually attains a length of 



about 5 feet from snout to tail, and is the largest of the carnivora of Madagascar. A fine young 



specimen lately brought to London, and in the Zoological Gardens at the time of writing, is now 



probably full grown. It is about the same 



length and height as a large ocelot, but with a 



far longer tail, and is more slenderly built. The 



extreme activity of the fossa no doubt renders 



it a very formidable foe to other and weaker 



creatures. It has been described by a recent 



writer as being entirely nocturnal, and preying 



mainly on the lemurs and birds which haunt 



the forests of Madagascar. The animal kept at 



the Zoological Gardens has become fairly tame. 



It is fed mainly on chickens' heads and other 



refuse from poulterers' shops. Apparently it 



has no voice of any kind. It neither growls, 



roars, nor mews, though, when irritated or 



frightened, it gives a kind of hiss like a cat. 



74 



Phot, by L. Midland, F.Z.S.] t North FinM> ' 



LARGE INDIAN CIVET 



Civets are nocturnal in their habiti. That shown here Aasjuit 

 awakened in broad daylight 



