THE STORY OF THE FOSSA. 147 



ing-. The picture, unfortunately, does not convey a correct idea of the dispo^ 

 sition Oif the animal, the splendid, serpent-like, wavy motions of its body, 

 which is of a light brown color tinged with red and gray. The muscular 

 structure, however, shoAvs a powerful, compact build. The limbs, though 

 small, are well knit. The ears are large and rounded, while the tail measures 

 more than three-fourths of the length of the head and body. The fossa has 

 a total of thirty-six teeth, oi which the hinder ones, both in form and number, 

 clo'sely resemble those of the cat. 



It is because the fossa is the largest of the flesh-eating animals of Mada- 

 gascar that the lemurs flourish in that island. The fossa undoubtedly kills 

 many of the smaller lemurs, but owing to the agility of those monkey-like 

 little animals, it is difficult for even such an active, agile animal as the fossa 

 to catch them — hence many escape because the fossa turns its attention to 

 the pursuit of still smaller and easier prey. 



