THE STORY OF THE FOSSA. 



The fossa of Madagascar, which is the largest flesh-eating animal found 

 in that island, is the species connecting the more typical members of the cat 

 family. This peculiar animal differs, indeed, sO' remarkably from all the 

 other representatives of the tribe, that it has been considered by some that it 

 ought to be referred to a separate family. 



The fossa is a nearly uniformly-colored animal, with short and thick pale 

 brown fur; and it attains a total length of about five feet from the snout 

 to the tip of the tail, the length of the tail being more than three-quarters that 

 of the head and body. The curved claws are sharp and retractile ; and the feet, 

 each of which is furnished with five claws, are very similar to those of a cat, 

 except that the whole sole of the hind pair is naked, and applied tO' the ground 

 in walking. 



It is a purely nocturnal creature, of a fierce disposition, but scarcely any- 

 thing is yet known of its habits. 



The fossa is undoubtedly one of the most interesting beasts of prey, if not 

 one of the most interesting of animal creatures in general. Any scientist 

 who disputes the fact that intermediate forms, which play such an impor- 

 tant part in natural history in its newest aspect, really exist, must keep silence 

 when he beholds this animal. The fossa cannot be determined nor compre- 

 hended in any other way but as an intermediate or transitional form — as a 

 link connecting the real cats with kindred animals. These animals existed 



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