ALLEN’S NATURALIST’S LIBRARY. 
4 
THE DWARF-LEMURS. GENUS MICROCEBUS. 
Microcebus, Geoffr., Cours de ’ Hist. Nat., Mamm., lecon vi., 
p. 24 (1828). 
Under this genus are arranged five species of very small 
Lemurs, whose hind-limbs are longer than their fore-, though 
less so in proportion than is the case among the African Gala- 
gos. Their snout is also shorter ; their eyes are large, approxi- 
mated together, very prominent and very bright, and their ears 
are elongated. On the ventral surface are situated four mamme, 
two on the breast and two on the abdomen. 
Of their bony framework, the brain-case is high, broad, 
and more vaulted than that of either the Mouse-Lemurs or the 
species of the next genus, Ofolemur. ‘The facial region is also 
shorter. The mastoid portion of the ear-capsules (periotic 
bones) and the squamosal region is somewhat less inflated than 
in Galago. With regard to their dentition, the inner upper in- 
cisor is larger than its outer fellow. Between the upper canine 
and the anterior pre-molar of its own side there exists no gap, 
nor is there a space between the anterior and the median upper 
pre-molars. ‘The molars have three-cusped crowns, but these 
cusps are very sharp, and are weaker than those in Ga/ago ; the 
intermediate cusp between the two main cusps to the front is 
wanting. The concavity also of the hinder margin (so marked 
in Galago) is here very slight, but the basal ring (cémgulum) is 
swollen internally to form an inner hind cusp. The posterior 
upper molar is smaller than the anterior, and its inner hind cusp 
is rudimentary. The hind border of the bony palate extends 
to behind the last molar tooth, its posterior perforations being 
very large. The angle of the lower jaw is not produced down- 
wards. 
