222 EXTINCT LEMUROID ANIMALS 



to these lofty points. They are afraid of the vengeance of the 

 spirits of the mountains, who will punish all who dare invade 

 their territories. 



In one of the valleys to the west of the Ankaratra massif 

 there is a river called Antsesika, which is quite lost to sight 

 and sound for about a mile and a quarter. It disappears under 

 a mass of enormous gneiss boulders, which have filled up the 

 valley of the river, so that the stream runs for a considerable 

 distance at an immense depth below the general level. In the 

 upper part of its course, this river passes over a series of grand 

 falls before diving deep into the earth, as just described. Its 

 name of Antsesika is very appropriate, as it means " that 

 which is thrust in." 



Some members of the extinct fauna of Madagascar (^Epyor- 

 nis, hippopotamus and crocodile) have been already noticed, 

 but we must here mention other discoveries made within the 

 last few years. About twenty years ago a skull, in a sub-fossil 

 condition, was discovered on the south-west of the island, and 

 proved to be that of a gigantic form of lemuroid animal. This 

 skull is very much larger and longer than those of any existing 

 lemurs (which are fairly globular in shape), and belonged to a 

 creature more like a gorilla in size and strength. More recently, 

 at a place called Ampasambazimba, which is five miles north of 

 Itasy, the remains of a number of species (fourteen or fifteen) 

 of extinct lemuroid animals have been discovered ; in fact 

 this spot seems like the burial-ground of a whole fauna now 

 entirely passed away, and probably quite recently ; for Dr 

 Standing, who conducted the excavations, thinks that not 

 more than five centuries have elapsed since some at least of 

 these animals were living. Several new species of apparently 

 quite distinct genera have been disinterred ; they are mostly 

 larger than any existing lemuroid ; and some of them form 

 links between the true monkeys and the lemurs families of 

 primates now very distinct from each other. Some of these 

 newly discovered creatures seem, from the position of the 

 nostrils, eyes and ears (like those of the hippopotamus), to have 

 been adapted to a partially aquatic life. There is abundant 

 evidence of the former existence of extensive lakes in the sur- 

 rounding country, where now there is only marsh or dry land. 

 Others of these extinct animals were arboreal ; and from the 



