Arrangement of the small Tenrecidso. 305 



from Dr. Major's " M. coivani." Secondly, what M. cras- 

 sipes, M.-Edw., is — the measurements are not very different 

 from those of Dr. Major's animal, though the claws would 

 seem to be longer. And, thirdly, whether M. longirostris, 

 Maj., is really different from his " M. cowani" ; the hind 

 foot of the type is certainly unusually long, but otherwise 

 I can see no difference. On the whole, pending the arrival 

 of further material, I am inclined to believe that the speci- 

 mens called cowani by Major are not that species but are 

 the same as his longirostris, of which, therefore, nigrescens 

 would be a synonym. Aud crassipes may also possibly be 

 the same animal. 



The following new species was obtained by Mr. Deans 

 Cowan with the first series of the genus, but was not then 

 distinguished by me from M. longicaudata : — 



Microgale majori, sp. n. 



Allied to and of the same general proportions as M. longi- 

 caudata, but decidedly smaller and with less excessively 

 long tail. 



Length of skull and feet from 2-3 mm. less than in 

 M. longicaudata. Colour, of a specimen skinned from spirit 

 and therefore probably too rufous, reddish brown above and 

 near " sayal-brown" below — but without specimens skinned 

 fresh, these colours cannot be trusted ; bases of hairs every- 

 where dark slaty. Hands and feet brownish white. Tail 

 very long, though not so long as in longicaudata, brown 

 above, paler below. 



Skull very similar in shape to that of M. longicaudata, 

 but decidedly smaller. The brain-case is, however, rather 

 more smoothly rounded, without such a marked inflation at 

 the point where its greatest breadth occurs. 



Dimensions of the type, those of the type of longicaudata 

 in brackets : — 



Head and body 60 mm. (67); tail 109 (158) : hind foot 

 16 (18-2); ear 13 (15). 



Skull : greatest length 20'5 (22) ; condylo-basal length 

 19-6 (20-9) ; greatest breadth across brain-case 9 (9-6) ; 

 palatal length 9'4 (10*5.) ; front of canine to back of m3 6*8 

 (7-4) ; combined length of p*-m 2 3*1 (3*4). 



Hab. Ankafina Forest, Eastern Betsileo. 



Type. Adult female, skinned out of spirit. B.M. no. 

 82.3.1.17. Collected February, 1881, by the Ilev. W. 

 Deans Cowan. Thirty-seven specimens originally examined, 



