1872.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE FOSSANE OF d'aUBENTON. 869 



Canirallus kioloides, Hartl. Faun. Madag. p. 80 (1861); Verr. 

 in Vins. Voy. Madag. Ann. B. p. 4 (1865). 



Porsana kioloides, Grand. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1868, p. 4. 



One specimen, which Mr. Crossley notes as having a brown iris. 

 Native name " Vorun boama." February 1872. 



CoRETHRURA INSULARIS. 



Corethrura insularis, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 400, et P. Z. S. 

 1871, p. 315. 



One specimen from Chepipp, February 1872. Native name 

 Chemate. 



Family Podicipidjs. 



PODICEPS PELZELNI. 



Podiceps pelzelni, Hartl. Orn. Madag. p. 83 (1861); Roch & 

 Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 175; Scl. P. Z. S. 1863, p. 165; Verr. in 

 Vins. Voy. Madag. Ann. B. p. 4 (1865) ; Grand. Rev. et Mag. de 

 Zool. 1866, p. 6 ; Schl. & Poll. Faun. Madag. Ois. p. 151, pi. 40. 



One specimen. 



2. On the Fossane of D'Aubenton (Fossa d'aubentonii) . 

 By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.E.S. &c. 



[Keceived October 16, 1872.] 

 (Plate LXXIV.) 



The British Museum has received from Mr. Crossley from Mada- 

 gascar two specimens of this animal complete and a skeleton. They 

 are very interesting, as showing that they are true Viverrce as 

 regards the hairiness of the hinder tarsus ; and though they are 

 spotted like the Rasse and the Genets, they differ from them both 

 in having no lunate bands on the throat, in having only spotted 

 tails, and their backs not crested like the Malacca Weazel, 

 Viverricula. 



A specimen of the Fossane was obtained in Madagascar by M. 

 Poivre, who sent it to the Academy of Sciences at Paris in 1/61. 

 It was afterwards sent to the Museum of the Jardin des Plantes, 

 where I have searched for it two or three times when I have been in 

 Paris without being able to discover it ; and no zoologist has given a 

 more modern description of it ; I fear the original specimen has 

 been lost. I consider the rediscovery of the animal quite as important 

 as the finding of a new species. 



Buffon and D'Aubenton gave a very accurate description and 

 figure of M. Poivre's specimen. I was so satisfied, from their 

 description and figure, that it was distinct from all other known 

 Viverrce that in the P. Z. S. for 1864, 1 established a genus for it, 

 under the name of Fossa ; and this is repeated in the 'Catalogue of 

 Carnivorous, Pachydermatous, and Edentate Mammalia in the British 

 Museum,' p. 62 ; but Dr. Peters and various zoologists have 

 regarded this as a mistake. 



