1902.] NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 135 



Galeopithecus volans (Linn.). 



Five specimens of this iuterestiug animal were obtained. They 

 exhibit some variation in the oolor of the back, one being distinctly 

 browner than the others, but without material for comparison it 

 would be impossible to say whether they are identical with speci- 

 mens from other parts of the Malay region. The nomenclature of 

 the animal is somewhat involved, and a number of proposed names 

 would have to be considered if a subdivision should be deemed 

 desirable. Geoffroy ^^ proposed three species, rufus, variegaius and 

 ternatensis. The descriptions are very brief and for only one is the 

 type locality given, i.e., T. variegaius from Java. G. ternatensis 

 is based upon Seba's plate, which was also in part tlie basis of 

 Linnaeus' Lemur volans. 



Temminck, in the introduction of his Monogr. Mammalium, 

 states that there are only two species of Galeopithecus, and that 

 Geoffroy' s three species are not valid. He does not, however, 

 name his " two species." 



Fischer also recognizes two species, calling the Malay one volans 

 and the Philippine one variegatus Geof . , in spite of the fact that 

 the latter name was based on a Javan specimen ! He also mentions 

 that Temminck recognized two species, " (?. variegatus, from Java 

 and islands of the Indian Archipelago, and O. marmoratus, from 

 Sumatra and Borneo." Where Temminck described G. marmo- 

 ratus we have been unable to discover, though Wagner in Schreber's 

 Saugthiere, Suppl. I, p. 324, says " fauna japon. auct. Siebold." 



Blainville, in his Osteographie, fasc. 3, p. 48, also quotes Tem- 

 minck' s two species giving the latter one as " macrurus .'" 



Waterhouse first clearly separated the Philippine species as G. 

 pJiillppensis,^^ and at the same time named the species of the Indian 

 Archipelago G. temmincki. 



Wagner in Schreber's Saugthiere also proposes G. undaius for an 

 animal which he thinks may be the same as G. marmoratus Temm. 

 The Sumatrau animal, if distinct, should bear AVagner's name, 

 unless it is found that Temminck actually did publish a diagnosis of 

 his G. marmoratus. The othef names, it seems to us, must all be 

 regarded as synonyms of G. volans Linn., except, of coui-se, G. 

 philippensis Waterhouse. 



1" Cours d' Eist. Nat., 1829, p. 37. 

 "P. Z. S., 1838, p. 119. 



