46 THE CRYPTOPROCTA. 



remaining portion. As will be seen from drawings, it is a 

 handsome creature, beautifully banded with lines of spots on 

 a light-brown ground, which shades into black on the back 

 and the neck. 



Another carnivorous animal is an ichneumon (Eupleres 

 goudotii), which is a bulkier animal than the fosa, but with 

 small head and fine muzzle ; it is about two feet long, and 

 has long claws. The smaller species of carnivora (of two 

 genera, galidia and galididis) are called vontsira, and some- 

 what resemble the weasels and ferrets of Europe, but they are 

 not so long and slender in body. They are also much less 

 ferocious, and are not exclusively flesh-feeders. They are all 

 striped longitudinally with shades of grey and brown. 



The only other family in this order consists of a single 

 genus and species named Cryptoprocta (ferox). It is a planti- 

 grade animal, and is the largest of the Madagascar carnivora 

 being about three feet long, with tail of equal, or slightly 

 greater, length. It is like a small leopard in shape, but with 

 thick warm-brown fur of a uniform colour. It is " peculiar 

 to Madagascar, and was formerly classed among the Viverrida?, 

 but is now considered by Professor Flower to constitute a dis- 

 tinct family between the cats and the civets." * A very fine 

 specimen of this animal may be seen in the British Museum, 

 as well as examples of most of the other carnivora. It appears 

 to be chiefly found in the western portion of the island, where 

 it is known under the names of pintsdla or kintsdla. It is 

 greatly dreaded by the people for its ferocity and destructive- 

 ness ; and, from its mode of attack, appears to be like an 

 immense weasel, but preying upon the largest animals, wild 

 hogs, and even buffaloes. 



A wild cat is very plentiful in many parts of the island. 

 This is a handsomely striped animal, and very destructive to 

 domestic fowls ; but, in the opinion of most naturalists, it is 

 not to be included in the indigenous fauna of Madagascar. 

 I am, however, inclined to think that this is a mistake. 



Ungulata. — As already remarked, the very large and im- 

 portant order of hoofed animals is all but entirely absent 

 from Madagascar. There is, however, a single species of 

 * Wallace, op. cit., vol. ii. p. 194. 



