es
from the cats, to the largest of which they make no approach in the
matter of bodily size. As a rule, there is an alisphenoid canal; the
cheek-dentition is p. (3 or 4)/(3 or 4), m. (1 or 2)/(1 or 2). The
bulla is small and the tympanic large, with a low division between
them; and the paroccipital process is leaf-like and spread over the
bulla. The number of dorsal vertebrae, except in the aberrant
_Proteles_, is 13 or 14; the claws may be either completely or
partially retractile or non-retractile; generally each foot has five
toes, but there may be four in front and five behind, the reverse of
this, or only four on each foot; the gait may be either digitigrade or
partially plantigrade; and the metatarsus may be either hairy or naked
inferiorly. Anal, and in some cases also perineal, glands are
developed. The family is limited to the warmer parts of the Old World.

Considerable difference of opinion prevails with regard to the serial
position of the fossa, or foussa (_Cryptoprocta ferox_), of
Madagascar, some writers considering that its affinities are so close
to the _Felidae_ that it ought not to be included in the present
family at all. Others, on the contrary, see no reason to separate it
from the _Viverrinae_ or more typical representatives of the
civet-tribe. As a medium course, it may be regarded as the sole
representative of a special subfamily--_Cryptoproctinae_--of the
_Viverridae_. The subfamily and genus are characterized by possessing
a total of 36 teeth, arranged as i. 3/3, c. 1/1, p. 4/4, m. 1/1. The
teeth generally closely resemble those of the _Felidae_, the first
premolar of both jaws being very minute and early deciduous; the upper
sectorial has a small inner lobe, quite at the anterior part; the
molar is small and placed transversely; and the lower sectorial has a
large trenchant bilobed blade, and a minute heel, but no inner
tubercle. The skull is generally like that of _Felis_, but
proportionally longer and narrower, with the orbit widely open behind.
Vertebrae: C. 7, D. 13, L. 7, S. 3, Ca. 29. Body elongated. Limbs
moderate in size. Feet subplantigrade, with five well-developed toes
on each, carrying sharp, compressed, retractile claws. Ears moderate.
Tail long and cylindrical. The foussa is a sandy-coloured animal with
an exceedingly long tail (see FOUSSA).

The more typical members of the group, constituting the subfamil