150 HEMICENTETES VARIEGATUS. 



sures about 9 c. m, — and two skulls , gathered in diffe- 

 rent parts of Madagascar by Crossley and Audebert. 



5. 



Hemicentetes variegatus, var. buffoni, 

 Jentink — 1879. 



I have before me a specimen — measuring about 14 c, m. — 

 and agreeing in all details with the description given by 

 Buffon, 1. c. , of his Tandrac, which measured 5.8 c. m. — 

 and was therefore a very young one. The general shape 

 of our individual is that of Hemicentetes variegatus with 

 which it also agrees in dentition as well in number as 

 in shape and size of teeth. But the differences in colora- 

 tion are very great. 



On the upper parts of head and body predominate two 

 colors, viz: black and whitish straw-yellow. The belly is 

 yellow passing to a more brownish color towards the 

 chest , throat and chin. Upper parts of head , except a small 

 streak on its middle, black: the small streak on the head 

 is yellow, attenuated towards its extremities and ends 

 near the base of the crest. Elevated crest, neck, a tri- 

 angle on the foremost part of back, a large oval patch 

 on the spine from the middle of the back to a point be- 

 tween the haunches, and a broad streak on each side of 

 the body, curved upwards on its fore-part towards the 

 spine at a distance of 6 lines and also curved upwards on 

 its hindmost part towards the end of the large oval patch , 

 but without touching it and downwards to the root of tail , 

 are uniformly of a straw-yellow. The middle part of the 

 back , between the ends of the upwards curved side-streaks , 

 a broad ring around the large oval patch on the back , 

 the sides of neck , the coverings of shoulders passing to an un- 

 interrupted broad streak along the sides of the body , beneath 

 the yellowish side-streaks, and along the outside of the 

 legs, are colored entirely black. 



On the upperparts of the body the greatest part of the 

 hairs is woolly; irregularly spread are rather harsh quills 

 Notes from, the lueyden ]Mii»eiim. 



