216 



QUADRUMANA. 



monstrated that it is not a Vespertilio but a 

 Lemur, and that it forms in this way a tran- 

 sition from the Lemurince to the Cheiroptera, 

 The author of the article CHEIROPTERA in 

 this Cyclopedia has adopted the same views, 

 and 1 agree with them, including the Galeo- 

 pithecus in my present paper. The Galcojn- 

 thecus, then, is a Lemur, with the extremities 

 connected by a bat-like membrane, or, in other 

 words, surrounded by a thin skin, which they 

 support as the framework of the umbrella 

 sustains its covering. By this singular struc- 

 ture, the animal while jumping is suspended 

 in the air, yet without the power, as the Bats, 

 of a continued flight. The fingers of the hands 

 are not longer than those of the feet, and pro- 

 vided in both with long and sharp incurvated 

 claws. They dwell upon trees in the Indian 

 Archipelago, and feed upon insects, and, per- 

 haps, little birds. They sleep, as the Bats, 

 suspended by their hind legs, with their head 

 downwards. According to the observations 

 of WATERHOUSE, their dentition is as follows : 



. . 22 . 00 f , 



incisors, - ; canines, ; false molars, 



- ; true molars, - =34>. The form of 

 -& * 4 4? 



these teeth is very strange. The anterior 

 incisor of each side in the upper jaw is of a 

 small size and compressed form, suddenly 

 dilated above its insertion in the jaw, serrated 



at the edge, and presenting three or four 

 nearly equal denticulations. The second in- 

 cisor on either side resembles the first false 

 molar in form, and, like that, has two fangs. 

 The first false^molar is compressed, of a tri- 

 angular form, and has the anterior and pos- 

 terior edges serrated. The second false molar 

 is less compressed than the first, and divided 

 into two nearly equal, acutely pointed, trian- 

 gular cusps ; the apex of the posterior cusp 

 is directed inwards. The triangular grinding 

 surface of each of the true molars consists of 

 three pointed cusps. The molars of the 

 lower jaw resemble those of the upper, ex- 

 cepting that the position of the three prin- 

 cipal cusps is reverted. The false molars are 

 compressed and resemble, in general, their 

 opponents of the upper jaw. The tooth, which 

 represents the canine, is comparatively small, 

 compressed, and considerably expanded at 

 the apex, where it is serrated, having five or 

 six denticulations. The incisors are almost 

 horizontal in their position, compressed, nar- 

 row at the base, and suddenly expanded im- 

 mediately above the base ; each incisor is 

 deeply festooned or subdivided by incisions 

 into slender lamince. The incisors and false 

 molars of the lower jaw are detached. 

 Spec. Galeojrithecus variegatus. 



OSTEOLOGY. The considerations upon the 

 skeleton of the Lcmurince ought to be con- 



Fig. 137. 



Skull of Galeopithecus variegatus. {After Waterliouse?) 



