64 TUPAIAD^E. 



The Tenrecs from Madagascar, Centetes, Illiger, of which there are 

 three or four species, have the body more elongated, the spines feebler, 

 and they cannot roll themselves into a complete ball. JEchinogale, with 

 one species, from Madagascar, is very closely allied to Erinaceus, differ- 

 ing chiefly in its dentition. 



Fam. TUPAIAD^E. 



Incisors - ; the upper ones remote, the lower ones procumbent, with 



the four middle ones longest ; prsemolars -HI- ; molars ; the lower 



4 4 3 3 



ones divided by a transverse groove and cuspidate ; muzzle attenuated, 



lengthened ; ears oval, rather large ; feet pentadactylous ; tail long, 

 densely clothed with hairs, somewhat distichous ; the hair of the body 

 soft and glistening. 



The skull differs from that of other Insectivora, in having the bony 

 orbit complete, and moreover they possess a small caecum. The tree- 

 shrews, as they may be called, are diurnal in their habits, live on trees, 

 which they climb well, and feed both on fruit and insects, which they 

 hold in their paws like squirrels. The female has four mamniee, but 

 according to Cantor only produces one young at a birth. 



Gen. TUPAIA, Raffles. 



Syn. Cladobates, F. CUVIER. Hylogale, TEMMINCK. 

 Char. Those of the family of which it is the only genus. Peculiar to 

 South-Eastern Asia. 



87. Tupaia Elliotti. 



WATERHOUSE, P. Z. S. 1849. BLYTH, Cat. 241. 

 THE MADRAS TREE-SHREW. 



Descr. Above pale rufescent or reddish-brown, the hairs being grizzled 

 red and brown ; chin, throat, breast, and lower parts yellowish-white ; 

 which is continued in a narrow line along the underside of the tail. Head 

 shorter than in T. tana or T. ferruginea ; nails nearly equal. 



Length of one, 14 inches ; of which the tail is 7J. Another measured, 

 head and body, 8 inches ; tail, 9 ; head from muzzle to ear, l T 8 ^ths. 



This interesting addition to the Fauna of Southern India was made by 

 Walter Elliott, Esq., who procured it on the hills west of Madras, the 

 continuation of the Eastern Ghats. It does not, however, appear to be 

 very common. 



