1872.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE LEMURINA. 853 



This species is interesting, as the specimens of the two sexes are 

 said to have been collected in a wild state. 



These animals are so mild and tractable that they are said to be 

 often kept in a seminaturalized state by the inhabitants ; therefore 

 one is never sure that the specimens one receives from collectors and 

 dealers are not animals so kept and breeding together under un- 

 natural circumstances. 



6. Varecia, Gray, P. Z. S., 1863, p. 135; Cat. Monkeys &c. 



pp. 70 & 132. 



The skull is figured, Gray, P. Z. S. 1863, p. 135; Cat. Monkeys 

 «fec. p. 71. f. 1. 



Blainv. Osteogr. Lemur, t. iii. (skull), t. xi. (teeth). 



Here again there is great difficulty in the distinction of species. 

 Dr. Schlegel considers Lemur macaco (Lemur niyer, Geoffroy) a male, 

 and regards Lemur leucomystax, Bartl. P. Z. S. 1862, p. 347, pi. xli., 

 as the female of the same species, which is curious, as L. niyer has 

 been known for more than a hundred years, and L. leucomystax has 

 been brought to England only within the last few years. I once 

 thought that Lemur niyer, Lemur varius, which is black and white, 

 and Lemur ruber were distinct species, L. varius having the head, 

 feet, shoulders, and tail always black, L. ruber having the head, 

 the underside of the feet, and tail black, the body (including the 

 shoulders) dark-red, reddish white, or pure white, and all inter- 

 mediate shades. The examination, however, of the series of speci- 

 mens brought home by Mr. Crossley and those in the Museum 

 induced me to believe that they are all one species, extremely 

 variable in colour, some being black, others red, and others white, 

 and all the intermediate shades and variations. (See Ann. & Mag. 

 Nat. Hist. 1870, vii. p. 339.) Mr. Bartlett, on the contrary, thinks 

 that the Lemur varius and Lemur niyer differ in their voices, and 

 that there is in the Zoological Society a female of Lemur varius 

 nearly coloured like the males, whilst the sexes of Lemur niyer are 

 quite unlike one another. (See P. Z. S. 1871, p. 430.) 



This last observation of Mr. Bartlett' s, if correct, throws great 

 doubt on the idea that V. niyer and V. leucocephalus are the male 

 and female of the same species ; for it would be very curious and 

 against all analogy that two species so nearly allied should differ in 

 the essential particular of one species having the two sexes nearly 

 alike, and the other so very differently coloured. I do not recollect 

 any similar fact occurring among the Mammalia which have come 

 under my observation. 



Tribe 3. Cheirogaleina. 

 The pairs of upper cutting-teeth on the middle of the sides of the 

 prominent intermaxillary bones, with a moderate space in front. 



7. Opolemur. 

 The ears moderate, exposed, rounded, and covered with close 

 appressed hair on the outer side. The tail conical, thick at the 



