native of Madagascar, where all the most peculiar Viverridae live.
Sub-Fam. 2. Galidictiinae.—Mivart has placed in this sub-family the three Mascarene genera, Galidia, Hemigalidia, and Galidictis. In them the orbit is not enclosed by bone; there is no alisphenoid canal, and there are five toes and fingers.
Galidia consists of but one species, G. elegans, of a chestnut brown colour, with a tail ringed with black. The claws are not retractile. The scent gland is absent. There are five digits upon both hand and foot. There are three premolars and two molars on each side of each jaw. The caecum is (for an Aeluroid) long, and pointed at the apex; it is quite twice the length of that of Genetta.
Closely allied to Galidia is the genus Hemigalidia, of which there are two species. It is distinguished from the last genus by the non-annulated tail. It also differs in the dental formula, which is for the molars Pm 4/3 M 2/1. This animal is termed by Buffon the Vansire. He correctly enumerates its grinders, and distinguishes it from the Ferret!
Galidictis is a third genus from Madagascar containing two species, one of which has been unfortunately named G. vittata, leading perhaps to some confusion with the totally distinct Galictis vittata. As in the last two genera the digits are five. The dental formula is that of Galidia. It is distinguished from the other two genera of its sub-family by the longitudinal brown striping of the upper part of the greyish body.
Sub-Fam. 3. Cryptoproctinae.—Cryptoprocta[[267]] represents a special sub-family, Cryptoproctinae, and includes only a single species, the Fossa (C. ferox) of Madagascar. It is the largest Carnivore of Madagascar, being about twice the size of a Cat, but with an elongated body; the colour is a tawny brown with no striping. The animal is active and lithe in its motions, and is said to be of almost unexampled ferocity in disposition. Its exact systematic position has been much discussed. By Zittel it is placed in a sub-family (including the extinct Proaelurus and Pseudaelurus) of the Felidae. Mivart and Lydekker, on the other hand, regard it as a genus of the Viverridae. The dental formula of the molars, Pm 3/3 M 1/1, is
more like that of the Felidae than of the Viverridae, and the teeth are more Feline in structure. The claws of the feet are retractile. As to internal structure the Fossa agrees largely with the Viverridae, but then this family has no very marked points of difference from the Felidae; but where the anatomy does diverge from that of the Felidae it approaches the Viverridae, especially in the muscular system.
Fig. 199.—Fossa. Cryptoprocta ferox. × 1⁄6.
The remaining and by far the larger number of genera of Civets are grouped by Professor Mivart in two sub-families: the Viverrinae, including the genera Viverra, Viverricula, Fossa, Genetta, Prionodon, Poiana, Paradoxurus, Arctogale, Hemigale, Arctictis, Nandinia, and Cynogale; and the Herpestinae, including the genera Herpestes, Helogale, Cynictis, and probably Bdeogale and Rhynchogale. In the Viverrinae the digits are always five, the claws are more or less retractile, the prescrotal scent glands are usually present, and the anus does not open into a sac. On the other hand, the Herpestinae are characterised by the non-retractility of the claws, the absence of the glands in question, and the fact that the anus does open into a terminal sac.