CHAPTER III. 



THE FOSSA, CIVETS, AND ICHNEUMONS. 



I 



Photo by A. S. liudland tfc 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 England; indeed, the first time that one was exhibited in our 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 formid- 

 able 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 



Photo by L. Medland, F.Z.S.} [North Fincldey. 



LARGE INDIAN CIVET. 



Civets are nocturnal in their habits. That shown here has just awakened 

 in broad daylight. 



