28 DR. SANDWITH ON THE HABITS OF THE AYE-ATE. 



that the scute proceeds from the direct -calcification of the con- 

 nective tissue of the dermis. 



' Gn the other hand, I must remark that horizontal sections of 

 the scutes have presented oblique parallel fissures, sometimes 

 crossing one another, which might readily be supposed to corre- 

 spond with the lines of separation of ossified bundles of connec- 

 tive tissue. 



Note. — During a recent visit to Paris, my friend Mr. Busk 

 was kind enough to examine the specimens of recent Crocodilia in 

 the Museum of the Jardin des Plantes, with reference to certain 

 points to which I requested his attention. Mr. Busk informs me 

 that there is no doubt about the transverse direction of the pre- 

 maxillo-maxillary suture in Crocodilus rhomhifer ; and his state- 

 ments lead me to entertain no question that C. hombifrons is a 

 synonym of C. palustris. 



In the typical specimens of C. marginatus and C. suchus of 

 Geoffroy St.-Hilaire, the premaxillo-maxillary suture extends back 

 to the level of the seventh tooth. 



Mr. Busk has furthermore pointed out to me the existence of 

 another American species of Crocodile — C, Morelettii, which has 

 been described by M. Auguste Dumeril in his " Description des 

 Beptiles nouveaux ou imparfaitement connus," &c., 'Archives 

 du Museum,' t. vi. 1852. 



This species inhabits lake Flores, in Yucatan ; and it is said by 

 M. Dumeril to approach C. Americanus, from which it differs in 

 the proportions of the skull and in the characters of the dermal 

 armour. 



June 2l9t, 1859. 



On the Habits of the "Aye- Aye" {Cheiromys madagascariensis ^ 

 L., Cuv.). By the Hon. H. Sandwith, M.D., C.B., Colonial 

 Secretary of the Mauritius. Communicated by Prof. Owen, 



P.E.S., y.p.L.s. 



[Read AprH 7tb, 1859.] 



" Mauritius, Jan. 27, 1859. 

 " My deae Me. Owen, — After very great difficulty and much 

 delay, I have at length obtained a fine healthy male adult Aye- Aye ; 

 and he is now enjoying himself in a large cage which I have had 

 constructed for him. 



" He is a most interesting little animal ; and from close observa- 



