158 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



western form occurs between Mount d'Ambre and Anorontsangana, 

 near the Bay of Passandava. Since then the range has been extended 

 considerably to the southward. 



"Collected by van Dam at Kakamba and Ampasidava, N.W. 

 coast, by Voeltzkow and [ = at] Ambundube near Betsako, and by 

 Kaudern from the Mahajamba River near Ste. Marie de Marovoay. 

 The range of this race includes the north-west coast as far south as 

 the Bay of Bombetoka; the northern and eastern limits are not 

 certain." (Schwarz, 1931, p. 427.) 



Family DAUBENTONIIDAE: Aye-aye 



The single representative of this family, the remarkable Aye-aye, 

 occurs in Madagascar, where it is decidedly rare. 



Aye-aye 



DAUBENTONIA MADAGASCARIENSIS (J. F. Gmelin) 



[Sciurus] madagascariensis J. F. Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 1, p. 152, 

 1788. (Based upon the "Aye-aye" of Sonnerat (Voy. Indes or. et 

 Chine, vol. 2, p. 137, 1782) ; type locality, "in occidental! parte insulae 

 Madagascar.") 



SYNONYM: Lemur psilodactilus Schreber (Saugthiere, vol. 4, pi. 38 D, 1800?); 

 Cheiromys madagascariensis var. laniger G. Grandidier (1929). 



FIGS: Sonnerat, Voy. Indes or. et Chine, vol. 2, pi. 86, 1782; Schreber, 

 Saugthiere, vol. 4, pi. 38 D, 1800?; Owen, 1863, pis. 14-19; Wolf, 1867, 

 pi. 3; Royal Nat. Hist., vol. 1, p. 241, fig, 1893-94; Forbes, 1894, pi. 1; 

 Beddard, 1902, p. 548, fig. 263; Lydekker, 1903, frontisp.; Elliot, 1907, 

 p. 552, fig. 80; EJliot, 1913, vol. 1, pi. 1; G. Grandidier, Bull. Acad. 

 Malgache, n. s., vol. 11, pi. facing p. 101, (1928) 1929. 



The Aye-aye is perhaps the rarest as well as the most interesting 

 of all the surviving lemurs of Madagascar. 



The head is short and round; patches of bristles above eyes and 

 nose and on cheeks and chin; eyes round, prominent; ears large, 

 rounded, naked, black; tail bushy, with hairs 3-4 inches long; 

 middle digit attenuated and wirelike. Fur on back, flanks, tail, 

 and limbs dark brown, nearly black; long hairs on top of head and 

 back of neck tipped with white; face, throat, under parts of body, 

 and inner side of limbs yellowish white; feet and digits black; tail 

 often with long white hairs throughout. Head and body, 18 inches; 

 tail, 18 inches. (J. F. Gmelin, 1788, p. 152, and Forbes, 1894, 

 pp. 14-16.) 



"I have not seen any specimen with definite locality. The range 

 of this animal appears to include the whole forested portion of 

 Madagascar in the east, and apparently also in the north-west." 

 (Schwarz, 1931, p. 427.) 



"I am told that the Aye-aye is an object of veneration at Mada- 



