338 Mr. O. Thomas on a new Species q/'Microgale, 



feet far larger and heavier than in the other species, their 

 soles covered with fine bristles ; proportions of toes and claws 

 as in the fore feet. Foot-pads six in number both before and 

 behind. Tail about as long as the head and body, uniform 

 blackish, very thinly haired. Body-colour throughout a dull 

 slaty grey, the tips of the hairs lighter; lips and chin yellow- 

 ish, toes nearly white. 



Teeth with the essential characters of those of the other 

 species, but the incisors and canines both above and below are 

 simpler in structure and differently proportioned. The upper 

 incisors are unicuspid instead of bi- or tricuspid, and the 

 first one is more than twice as long as either the second or 

 third. Canine long, but still slightly shorter than the first 

 incisor, and single-rooted. Both first and second premolars 

 small and simple. Lower jaw with the first incisor small 

 and bicuspid, second long and unicuspid, third small and 

 simple. Canine with a well-marked posterior basal cusp. 



A second upper milk-incisor, still remaining on one side in 

 the type specimen, is tricuspid, and very similar in shape 

 both to the milk and permanent second incisors of the other 

 species, a fact which seems to show that the long unicuspid 

 permanent second incisor of M. Dohsoni is a later development 

 of the tricuspid tooth present in M. longtcandata and Cowani. 



The skull is in its general shape quite similar to that of 

 M. longicaudataj but the lower jaw is very much heavier and 

 stouter in proportion ; its height below the second premolar 

 being no less than 2*8 mm., while in that species it is only 

 about 1*5 mm. 



Dimensions of the type (in alcohol) — Head 37 mm. ; head 

 and body 92; tail 102; hind foot (without claws) 22; fore 

 arm and hand 29; ear, from base of outer edge 17, above 

 skull 11 ; nose to eye 20 ; nose to ear 30. 



Skull — length 30 ; breadth across maxillary zygomatic 

 processes 10"(5 ; interorbital breadth 6*8 ; upper dental series 

 15-4. 



A single nearly adult male specimen of this species was 

 obtained by the well-known Madagascar collector, Mr. W. 

 Waters, in the Nandesen Forest, Central Betsileo, either in 

 February or March of the present year. 



In the strictly non-fossorial character of its claws, and the 

 complete development of its poll ex, M. Dohsoni is a true Micro- 

 gale, and shows no tendency whatever towards the burrowing, 

 four-toed Oryzorictis, a genus with which Dr. Dobson {I. c.) 

 has suggested that future discoveries might tend to unite the 

 present one, an opinion in which, however, I am quite unable 

 to aijree. 



