The Madagascar Pigmij Hippopotamus. 197 



nasal, lacrimal, aiul maxillary, the anterior with the lacrymal and 

 maxillary, being separated from the posterior bone by a narrow 

 prolongation of the lacrymal (see Text- fig. 3, right side). 



During a visit to Paris several years ago, I pointed out to 

 Professor Filhol the presence of a small intercalar bone between the 

 nasal and lacrymal in one of the skulls from Arabolisatra; this has 

 since been figured and discussed.^ The bone being absent in the 

 most generalized species of the genus, the name of prefrontal, which 

 implies a homology with the so-called bone of lower vertebrates, 

 appears to be unjustified ; we have evidently to do in most cases 

 with one (or more) Wormian bones In some cases it may be 

 simply an anterior prolongation of the frontal, the intermediate 

 portion being covered by the expansion of the laci'ymal. 



Guldberg- has estimated the length of the H. Madagascar iensis 

 at 2-080 metres, assuming that the cranium is one-fifth of the length 

 of the whole animal, as in H. amphibius. The mounted skeleton in 

 the British Museum (Natural History) has a length of 1-95 metres. 



1 have elsewhere " stated that presumably " the Hippopotami 

 entered Africa at a time when they were still in possession of all 

 the characters of the Siwalik species, and that they crossed to 

 Madagascar when they had reached a condition intermediate between 

 M. Sivalensis and H. amphibius. In this condition they persisted in 

 Madagascar, whilst on the neighbouring continent they progressed 

 (or retrogressed) farther in the same direction." For reasons which 

 I shall give farther on, we may assume to-day that Africa was the 

 original home of the Hippopotamus tribe. But I see no reason 

 to depart from the above statement as to their crossing over to 

 Madagascar, presumably during the Pleistocene period. That the 

 Hippopotamus persisted in the island up to a recent date, and was 

 contemporary with man, may be assumed on the following grounds. 

 Many of the remains are found in superficial deposits and present 

 quite a fresh appearance. Grandidier & Filhol have figured* 

 a femur from Ambolisatra, presenting two deep cuts evidently 

 inflicted by man. At Sirabe the name of Lalimena is given to 

 the Hippopotamus, which my workmen recognized at once by the 

 tusks, styled by them ' homs.' According to' the legends of the 

 inhabitants of the region, reported already by Dr. Borchgrevinck,^ 

 it was considered as the greatest exploit to fight the monster and 

 deprive it of its ' horns.' This was termed to ' play ' with the 

 Lalimena, and used to be the prerogative of the sons of the 

 Betsileo kings. 



It remains to add a few words on the presumed original home 

 of the Hippopotamus tribe. Stehlin has pointed out in the skull 

 of the chcBromorid Acotherulum, from the Upper Eocene French 

 Phosphorites, some features recalling decidedly the Hippopotami ; 



' Grandidier & Filhol, op. cit., p. 160, pi. viii. 



2 Op. cit., p. 24. 



» Op. cit., p. 978. 

 * Op. cit., pi. xiv ; see also p. 187. 



^ " Oversigt over Videuskabsselskabets Moder i 1882," pp. 8-11: Christiania 

 Videnskabsselskabs Forhandlinger, 1882. 



