306 On a neic Species of Fo.5sa. 



bro.ider and sliorter, nasals wiJer ; orbital ridge not depressed 

 in centre, and orl>its therefore more rounded in shape ; brain- 

 case more rounded posteriorly and on a level with orbital 

 ridge and rising gradually to occiput, which is higher than 

 the orbits ; while the brain-case of P. maimon curves down- 

 ward to occiput, which lies lower than the rostral ridges, so 

 that the superior outlines of these brain-cases of these 

 ppecies are widely different; bony palate not so much con- 

 tracted posteriorly ; basi-occipital more abruptly descending 

 to pterygoid fossa ; tooth-row much longer ; occipital region 

 much more slanting, that of P. maimon being nearly per- 

 pendicular ; second upjier molar of new species much larger, 

 and the second lower molar smaller than the corresponding 

 teeth of P. maimon. It will be readily seen from the above 

 comparison that the two skulls are almost entirely different 

 in nearly all respects. All the skulls came from the same 

 locality and the range of the species is not known. The 

 type is in tiie Berlin Museum, and I am indebted to 

 Herr Paul Matschie, the Curator of ihe Mammalogical 

 Department, for the privilege of describing it. 



XXXV. — A new Species of Fossa from Central Madagascar. 

 By Gut Dollman, B.A. 



(Published by permission of the Trustees of the British Museum.) 

 Fossa majori, sp. n. 



In size and general proportions similar to Buflfon's Fossane 

 (^F. fossa, Schr.), but having continuous stripes on the back 

 and sides, and not, as in that species, irregular stripes 

 on the anterior part of the back, breaking up into spots 

 posteriorly. 



Fur longer and rather harsher than in F. fossa, individual 

 hairs cf back measuring about 30 mm. in length. General 

 colour of back a rich tawny-russet, darker in the middle line, 

 and gradually getting lighter towards the sides. Four broad, 

 well-marked, dark brown stripes down middle of back, 

 breaking up into indistinct spots at base of tail. The outer 

 pair of these stripes extends forwards almost up to the ears, 

 while the inner two gradually disappear about 40 mm. 

 behind this point. Along each side of the body are two 

 dark brown lateral stripes, extei.ding back as far as the 

 point of insertion of the hind legs, where they break up 

 into a few large spots. Forehead a rich Mars-brown colour, 

 becoming paler and greyer on the muzzle and sides of the 

 face. Under surface of body buff-coloured, rather lighter 



