216 Original Articles. | April, 
able fact—quite unparalleled, as far as is hitherto known, in any other 
Fauna—that nearly two-thirds of the whole number of known species 
of the Mammals of this island are members of one peculiar group of 
Quadrumana. 
Again, when we come to examine the Lemuride of Madagascar, and 
to compare them with their brethren in Africa and India, we find that 
they present us with no less than eight different generic types—all 
distinct from those found in the two latter countries. 
The genera Indris, Propithecus, and Avahis constitute a section of 
Lemuride per se, easily distinguished from the rest of the family by 
having only five molar teeth on each side of the jaw, and only two (in- 
stead of four) inferior incisors. No genus with this form of dentition is 
found either in Africa or Asia. The true Lemurine are also most fully 
developed in Madagascar, the typical genus Lemur being numerous in 
species, and, as is stated by travellers, likewise in individuals. In Africa 
this sub-family is represented by the abnormal form Perodicticus—a 
recently-discovered second species of which is likewise considered by 
Dr. Gray* as entitled to generic rank. In India two allied genera of 
Lemurine are found—Nycticebus and Loris—likewise difficult to con- 
nect satisfactorily with the more typical members of the group, but 
presenting many indications of alliance to Perodicticus. 
The third sub-family of the Lemuride is essentialiy African —con- 
sisting of the genus Galago, with eight or nine species dispersed over 
various parts of that continent, while Microcebus, with two or three 
imperfectly-known species, takes its place in Madagascar. 
The next form we meet with as we descend the series of Madagascar 
Mammals, is the celebrated Aye-aye (Chiromys Madagascariensis), an 
animal so anomalous in its structure, that although it has been now 
conclusively proved that its nearest allies are amongst the Lemurs,t 
even the illustrious Cuvier referred it to the widely-distant order of 
Rodents. The Aye-aye is pronounced by Professor Owen to be more 
nearly allied to some of the African Galagos than to any other living 
form. It may be, however, remarked that the Tarsier of the Indian 
Archipelago (Tarsius spectrum) presents certain points in its structure 
which likewise show a remote affinity to this extraordinary type. 
The second order of Mammals—the Bats or Chiroptera, have, as 
far as our present knowledge goes, only five representatives in Ma- 
dagascar. ‘T'wo of these belong to the Frugivorous family Pteropodide 
—and curiously enough to the Indian, not to the African section of the 
group. One of them indeed (P. Edwardsiz) is so clearly allied to the 
common Pt. medius of continental India, as to have been very con- 
stantly confounded with it. t 
The three known species of insectivorous Bats of Madagascar 
(Rhinolophus Commersonii, Vespertilio Madagascariensis and Emballonura 
* See Dr. Gray’s ‘Revision of the Species of Lemurian Animals.’ Proce. 
Zool. Soc. 1863, p. 129. : 
+ See Prof. Owen’s Memoir ‘On the Aye-aye.” Trans. Zool. Soe. v. pt. 2 
(1863). 
t As to the real distinctness of these species, see Peters, ‘Zool. Reise n, 
Mossambique,’ vol. i. p. 22. 
