1865.] MR. A. NEWTON ON ANIMALS FROM MADAGASCAR. = 833 
dagascar have been an especial object of study with him, his deter- 
mination of the four species in the collection cannot fail to be satis- 
factory. Dr. A. Ginther in like manner has been kind enough to 
supply the necessary information respecting the Reptiles. To the 
list I have added such notes of the local names, the colours of the 
soft parts, and the like, as were on the labels attached by Mr. Ger- 
rard to the specimens, all of which are stated to have been collected 
in July or August 1865. 
MAMMALIA. 
1. MicRORHYNCHUS LANIGER (Gmelin). 
[‘‘ Footsieffock.” ] 
2. Preropus epwarpsi, Geoffroy. 
[‘‘ Fanny.”’] 
3. VESPERUS MINUTUS, Temminck. 
(‘* Vanuboru.”’ | 
“‘ Kindly determined for me by Dr. Peters.”—P. L. S. 
4. ERICULUS NIGRESCENS, Geoffroy, Mag. de Zool. 1839, t. 3, 4. 
[ Suke.’’] 
The first specimen, I believe, of this little quadruped which has 
been brought to England. 
AVES. 
1. Tr1nNUNCULUS NEWTON], Gurney, Ibis, 1863, p. 34, pl. 2. 
[“‘ Hitskitsia.” Iris hazel; beak bluish; cere and legs orange- 
yellow. | 
A male and female, obtained in July and Augnst. The latter is 
the first example of that sex which I have seen, and, though some- 
what resembling the female of 7’. punctatus from Mauritius, is much 
smaller, and has the ground-colour of the upper tail-coverts ashy 
grey, barred with black. In all the examples, even the males, of 
T. punctatus that have come into my possession, the upper tail- 
coverts have been rufous; and I feel assured that Mr. Gurney was 
perfectly justified in establishing the Madagascar bird as a distinct 
species. The male example sent by Mr. Gerrard resembles “ speci- 
men A”’ of Mr. Gurney’s description and its accompanying plate ; 
but in a small collection, recently presented to the Norwich Museum 
by Mr. Caldwell, there are four examples (two males and two 
females) of 7’. newtoni, which all have the deep-bay breast, so as to 
correspond with “specimen B;”’ this would accordingly seem to be 
the prevailing type of the adult bird in 7’. newtoni. 
2. MICRONISUS MADAGASCARIENSIS (Verreaux). 
[‘‘Ferass.” Iris bright orange; cere and legs yellow. | 
Mr. Gurney remarks to me of this species that it “appears, both 
Proc. Zoou. Soc.—1865, No. LIV. 
