INTRODUCTION 17 



should be safeguarded by every possible means from further de- 

 crease: 



Coquerel's Dwarf Lemur (Microcebus coquereli) 

 Crossley's Mouse Lemur (C heirogaleus major crossleyi) 

 Gray Lemur (Hapalemur griseus griseus) 

 Broad-nosed Gentle Lemur (Hapalemur simus) 

 Diademed Sifaka (Propithecus diadema diadema) 

 Major's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi majori) 

 Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensm) 



Two peculiar carnivores, the Fossane (Fossa fossa) and the Fossa 

 (Cryptoprocta ferox) , are also endemic in Madagascar. The former 

 is accorded protection under Schedule A of the London Convention 

 of 1933, and probably the latter is almost equally deserving of con- 

 sideration. 



Perhaps the greatest danger to mammalian life in Madagascar is 

 the steady reduction of the forest areas through burning and clear- 

 ing by the natives. It is highly important from the point of view 

 of conservation that this process should be halted. 



THE CHRONOLOGY OF EXTINCTION 



It may be of interest to the historian of mammalogy to list the 

 extinct forms here in some sort of chronological order. They will be 

 arranged chiefly by half-century periods and by regions within those 

 periods; but those forms that passed out of existence prior to 1800 

 will be placed in a single group. It should be borne in mind that 

 in most cases the date of extinction can be only roughly indicated. 

 For this reason the sequence within the regional half-century groups 

 will be systematic rather than chronological. In some cases, how- 

 ever, it is possible to add a more approximate date of extinction 

 after the name of the species or subspecies. Certain cases of probable 

 but unproved extinction are indicated by a question mark. 



Years 1-1800 (33 forms) : 



EUROPE 



European Lion (Leo leo subsp.), 80-100 

 European Wild Horse (Equus caballvs subsp.) 

 Aurochs (Bos primigenius) , 1627 



AFRICA 



Algerian Wild Ass (Asinus atlanticus) 

 Blaauwbok (Hippotragus leucophaeus] , 1800 

 2 



