GYMNURA. ALBA. 37 



meanwhile I found several structural differences which I 

 considered to be of specific value. 



At present I kuow, that Dr. Giinther and I have tried 

 to point out a thing since long known as a fact! Indeed 

 in 1863 ^) Prof C. Giebel clearly demonstrated that the 

 Borneo-form represents a quite distinct species : in his highly 

 interesting argumentation, filling thirteen pages , he made out 

 the matter in a very critical way and added two beautiful 

 plates , one of the individual and one of the skeleton. He 

 named the Borneo-species Gymnura alba. In consequence, 

 Giebel's name having the priority, the Borneo-form futu- 

 rely must stand as Gymnura alba Giebel. 



I see that Dobson in his » Monograph of the Insectivora" 

 has overlooked too Giebel's paper on the subject. Dobson 

 moreover considers the Gymnura-Yarieij (Gunther) and the 

 (r^mnwr-a-species (Jentink) synonyms of Gymnura raffiesii. 

 His reason we read on page 4 of the above referred work , 

 viz. : » although the Bornean , compared with the Tenasse- 

 » rim and Sumatran specimens , appear to be altogether lar- 

 »ger and to have much lighter-colored fur, yet the mate- 

 »rial in the Museums is quite insufficient to decide whether 

 »this is due to age or race, or even to sex." This causa 

 movens of rejecting species is quite new, but hardly can 

 be called efficacious and is misplaced in a work of such a 

 high scientific value as Dobson's Monograph. 



Ptilocercus lowii Gray. 



This always very rare Mammal was described in the year 

 1848 by Gray after a specimen from Sarawak , N.W. Bor- 

 neo. We received a specimen from Banka collected by the 

 late Teyssman in 1872, and in 1882 Dr. Hagen presented 

 to our Museum a specimen in spirits from Tandjong Mo- 

 rawa , Deli , N, E. Sumatra. This individual being in a very 



1) Zeitschrift fiir die gesammten Naturwissenschaften. 1863. Bd. 22. p. p. 

 277—290. Taf. 1 und 2. 



Notes from the Leyden IMuseum, "Vol. "VII. 



