156 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



frequented route in the island, that from Tamatave to Antanana- 

 rivo, without often hearing the cries of these animals as he passes 

 through the great forest. They are not often seen." (Forbes, 1894, 

 vol. 1, p. 109.) 



Schwarz (1931, p. 425) records specimens from the following 

 localities: Vohemar, NE. coast; Lalo River and Antsompirina, east 

 of the Bay of Antongil ; Sakana, opposite the He Ste. Marie ; Tama- 

 tave; Antsihanaka Forest, Lake Alaotra. 



Specimens to the number of 16 were collected by the Mission 

 Zoologique Franco-Anglo-Americaine of 1929-31 (Delacour, 1932, 

 p. 219). 



Rand writes as follows (1935, pp. 101-102) : 



We encountered the indri only in the heavy forest of the northeast, from 

 sea level to 1800 meters, and found some surprising discrepancies in their range. 

 About the Bay of Antongil they were common forty kilometers northwest 

 of Maroantsetra, but at Maroantsetra, two days northeast, altitude 1000 

 meters, where the forest was equally heavy and continuous with that near 

 Maroantsetra, none were found. Again, east and north of Andapa there is 

 magnificent humid forest but none were heard in it, although west of Andapa, 

 perhaps eight kilometers away in similar forest continuous with the former, 

 they were common. . . . 



The flesh of these creatures was well flavored but usually so tough and 

 hard even when the animals were fat that it was rather unsatisfactory food. 



Many writers have said that this species is sacred to the Malagash. This 

 certainly is not true for the Malagash as a whole, for the people of the 

 south who had migrated to this part of the island had no objection to 

 skinning or eating these creatures, and even the native Betsimisaraka and 

 Tsimihity were quite ready to assist us in locating and shooting them, though 

 the Tsimihity at Andapa, one day west, would not eat the flesh. 



Eastern Woolly Avahi. Avahis laineux oriental (Fr.) 



AVAHI LANIGER LANIGER (J. F. Gmelhl) 



[Lemur} laniger J. F. Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 1, p. 44, 1788. ("Mada- 

 gascar." Lorenz-Liburnau (1898, p. 452) restricts this subspecies to the 

 east coast, and refers to Milne Edwards and Grandidier (1875a, 6), whose 

 pi. 9 represents a specimen from the Bay of Antongil. The vicinity of 

 this bay may be considered the restricted type locality.) 



SYNONYMS: Lemur brunneus Link (1795); Lemur lanatus Schreber (1800?); 

 Indris longicaudatus fi. Geoffrey (1812) ; Semnocebus avahi Lesson 

 (1840); Avahis laniger orientalis Lorenz-Liburnau (1898). 



FIGS.: Sonnerat, Voy. Indes or. et Chine, vol. 2, pi. 89, 1782; Schreber, Saug- 

 thiere, vol. 5, pi. 42 A, 1800(?); Gervais, Hist. Nat. Mammif., pt. 1, pi. 7, 

 1854; Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1866, pi. 15; Milne Edwards and Grandidier, 

 18756, pi. 9; Forbes, 1894, pi. 10; Elliot, 1913, vol. 1, col. pi. 7. 



At the present time this appears to be one of the less common 

 of the Madagascar lemurs. 



The hair is long and woolly, mouse gray at the base, reddish 

 brown in the middle, black at the tips; face broad, covered with 



