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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