Mr. J. Miers on the Menispermaceae. 36S 



east of Chittagong, is found only Hylobates Hoolock. And fur- 

 ther northward, in the forests and hills of Cachar, Munnipoor, 

 and Assam, exists either a third species (not yet, I believe, distin- 

 guished by naturalists) or, if the same species as H. Hoolock, so 

 strongly modified as to be larger and stouter, with a totally 

 different call, and subject to vary in colour the same as H. Lar, 

 which H. Hoolock in Arakan is not. 



I subjoin the dimensions of an adult male specimen of Hylo- 

 bates Lar shot near Hlyng bway, Tenasserim province, January 

 1855. But I believe it attains a larger size. 



Length from crown to posteriors 1' 7^". 

 Humerus 91", radius Qi", hand 6"; total 2' 1". 

 Femur 7 A", tibia 7 J", foot 4^" ; total 1' 7A". 

 Height wnen standmg upright about 2' 6 . 



I should not omit mentioning the peculiar manner in which 

 this species drinks, which is by scooping up the water in its 

 long narrow hand, and thus conveying a miserably small quantity 

 at a time to its mouth. It is to be hoped the animal is not much 

 troubled with thirst. 



XLI. — On the Menispermacese. 

 By John Miers, F.R.S., F.L.S. &c. 



[Continue<l from p. 261.] 



18. Hypsbrpa. • 



This genus consists of a distinct group of plants, natives of 

 Asia and the islands of the Oriental archipelago, the type of 

 which is the Cocculus cuspidatus of Wallich. It is distinguished 

 from Cocailus by its cyclical slender embryo imbedded in simple 

 albumen, in which respect it approaches Pericampylus ; but it 

 differs from that genus and all others of the Leptogoiiece, except 

 Limacia, in its cotyledons being accumbent (not incumbent). 

 It is also notable for its unsymmetrical flowers; for few of 

 its species agree in the number of sepals, petals, stamens, or 

 ovaries — a very unusual occurrence in the order. The authors 

 of the * Flora Indica ' and of the new * Genera Plantarum ' have 

 refused to admit the validity of the genus, as they do not con- 

 sider the imbrication of its inner sepals to be a character of any 

 importance ; and therefore they unite it with the genus Limacia 

 of Loureiro. In this hasty determination they have entirely 

 overlooked other circumstances which establish marked distinc- 

 tions between the two genera. In all the species of Limacia the 

 sepals are constantly thick and valvate in aestivation, while in 

 every case in Hypserpa the sepals have broad, thin, membrana- 



