"No. 14. — Vertebrata from Madagascar. 

 Contents. 



Page. 



1. Introduction. By George R. Agassiz . 475 



2. Amphibia and Reptilia. By Thomas Barbour 479 



3. Aves. By Outram Bangs 489 



4. MammaHa. By Glover M. Allen 511 



1. — Introduction. By George R. Agassiz. 



The Museum was fortunate in securing, through the generous 

 enthusiasm of Mr. Frederick R. Wulsin, the collection of Madagascar 

 vertebrates described in the following pages. Mr. Wulsin spent four 

 months, June - September, 1915, in Madagascar and this summary 

 of his travels is taken from his journal. On completing a collecting 

 expedition in East Africa, he sailed from Mombasa on the Messageries 

 Maritimes steamer el Kantara, taking with him three Swahilis," 

 besides his camp equipment, collecting guns, and ammunition. 



On June 1, the steamer reached Tamatave, the chief port of Mada- 

 gascar, somewhat more than half-way up the east coast. The town, 

 crowded on a Sandspit, which projects at right angles to the general 

 coast line, has a population of about forty-six hundred, and owes its 

 importance to a commodious harbor formed by a coral-reef. Here he 

 found that a circular letter from the Governor General, written at the 

 request of the Ministre des Colonies, had opened all doors to him. 



His first move was by rail to the Capital Tananarive, about 135 

 miles w.s.w. from Tamatave. The journey takes about fifteen hours, 

 the train passing at first through a flat country of thorny scrub, 

 broken here and there by glades, then winds up arounfl sharp curves 

 to reach the central plateau. This region has some second growth, 

 but the views from the train disclosed no virgin forest, it was mostly 

 grass-covered hills with rice fields and villages dotting the valleys. 



Here, as at Tamatave, the country teems with comparativeK- 

 civilized natives. The inhabitants of these parts, the Hovas, are the 

 most advanced of all Malagasy tribes. They could be seen collected 

 at the little stations, pleasant, intelligent looking people, with cafe an 



