166 PROPITHECUS 



GENUS PROPITHECUS. SIFAKAS. 



T 2—2 „ 1—1 „ 2—2 .. 3—3 



PBOPITHECUS Bennett, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1832, p. 20. Type 



Propithecus diadema Bennett. 

 Macromerus A. Smith, S. Afr. Quart. Journ., 2nd Ser., 1833, p. 



49, (nee Schonherr, 1826, Coleopt.). 

 Habrocebus Wagn., Schreb., Saugth. Suppl., I, 1840, pp. IX, 257. 



Head longer than broad ; muzzle black, naked ; ears partly con- 

 cealed in the fur, hairy; tail long; index finger not united to the others. 

 Between the arms and the body is a fold of skin. Skull : upper in- 

 cisors protruding, the inner pair approximating and longer than outer ; 

 braincase high ; diastema between upper canines and premolars ; lower 

 molars quadricuspidate. 



The Sifakas, as these rather handsome animals are called, are 

 remarkable for their wonderful diversity of coloration. 



As now restricted only two species are recognized, each having 

 several subspecies, which are only met with in certain localities apart 

 from their species. The color is usually white varied with yellowish, 

 red, or black markings. Sometimes black phases occur when the entire 

 pelage is of that hue. The animals are only found in Madagascar, and 

 very little has been recorded of their habits. They are dwellers of many 

 parts of the Island, and are not confined to the forests, but are met with 

 in the arid tracts, and on the plains where trees are infrequent. Albino 

 individuals are found, mostly belonging to the P. v. deckeni variety, a 

 form that exhibits very great diversity of color and pattern among 

 individuals. In fact examples of most of the forms vary so much in 

 this respect that many descriptions would be necessary to make them 

 recognizable, and enable one, not familiar with the group, to attribute 

 the examples to their proper place among the different accepted forms. 

 The Sifakas are venerated and never killed by the natives of Mada- 

 gascar. They are inoffensive animals, going about in troops of half 

 a dozen individuals, and live upon various leaves, fruits and flowers, 

 quite a different diet from that of other species of Lemurs. During 

 the heat of the day they sleep in some secluded place among the foliage 

 and are active in the early mornings and evenings. 



