HEDGEHOGS FRO>r MADAGASCAR. 137 



NOTE XXXVI. 

 ON THE HEDGEHOGS FROM MADAGASCAR. 



BY 



Dr. F. A. JENTINK. 



April 1S79. 



Mivart ^) in a very interesting paper lias pointed out 

 the resemblances and differences between the skeleton and den- 

 tition of the genus Centetes and Hemicentetes. But it seems 

 that he has confounded the two species which were known 

 as belonging to the genus Hemicentetes , for he describes and 

 figures very exactly the different parts of the skull and skele- 

 ton of Hemicentetes variegatus , Et. Geoff. St. Hilaire , under 

 the name Hemicentetes madagascariensis , Shaw, — notwith- 

 standing these two species present great differences in ex- 

 ternal characteristics and also in dentition , that is to say 

 in the mutual proportions of the teeth. 



As in so many other parts of Natural History there exists 

 a very great confusion in the names given by the different 

 authors to the various species of Hedgehogs from Mada- 

 gascar. 



It therefore seems not superfluous to trace the history 

 of their synonyms. 



But I will first remind the reader, that the various 

 Madagascar species of Hedgehogs present the following 

 external characteristics: there is a species resembling our 

 common European Erinaceus^ but belonging to another 



i) P. Z. S. L. 1871, p. 58, pi. V. 



Notes from the Leyclen IMuseuxa. 



