974 DR. C. I. FORSYTH MAJOR ON A [ Dec. 1, 
described and its relationships discussed in a paper under prepara- 
tion. ; 
The Avian collections are there to prove that if the Mammals 
for which I was anxiously looking out did not come in in greater 
numbers, it was not for want of careful investigation. The collec- 
tion of Birds’ remains was partly damaged, partly destroyed by the 
falling in of the ceiling of my house at Sirabé, in which they were 
placed for drying. Fortunately there remains enough. The 
AZpyornis bones, some thousand in number, form the great bulk 
of the collection ; the family is here represented by two species of 
Aipyornis and one of Mullerornis. One smaller species is 
predominant, and of this we shall be able before long to put 
together an almost complete skeleton, as the smaller and rarer 
parts, such as sternum, coraco-scapula, cerebral vertebre, 
phalanges, &c., are all at hand. Six more or less complete skulls 
of the smaller species of Apyornis were obtained. 
The Carinate are represented by several hundred bones, 
belonging chiefly to aquatic birds. Mr. Andrews will be so good 
as to give some further particulars about the birds’ remains. Of 
the rest the collection will speak for itself. 
Of recent Birds I collected chiefly skeletons ; and I hope to have 
done a useful work in bringing home over 160 birds’ skeletons. 
Of recent Mammals many hundred specimens have been obtained ; 
of numerous species whole series, including skins, skeletons, and 
spirit-specimens. 
LEMURIDE. 
Of Lemuride examples of 13 species have been collected, amongst 
which two (Lepidolemur microdon and Chirogale melanotis), pre- 
served in the National Museum, were known only by a single 
specimen each. Amongst the number is one new species, a Chiro- 
gale, and besides this some remarkable varieties of others. 
There is a curious character in the skull of Malagasy Lemurs, 
to which attention was first drawn in 1835 by a Swiss anatomist, 
Hagenbach, who observed it in a species of the genus Lemur ; 
the same was later (in 1845) more fully described by Hyrtl in 
two species of the same genus: the tympanic ring is completely 
enclosed by the bulla ossea, but without osseous connection with 
the same. Winge has stated that this peculiarity holds good 
with regard to all the Malagasy Lemuride which have come under 
his observation, including Chiromys, and be therefore places them 
in a separate family. It is in fact of general occurrence amongst 
the Lemuride of the island; and having found other peculiarities 
in their skull besides, I have come to range myself with Winge’s 
opinion, so that we have to consider Chirogale, Opolemur, and 
Microcebus as being more nearly related to the rest of the Malagasy 
Lemurs than to the African genus Gulago. 
CARNIVORA. 
Examples of 5 species were collected, which for the present call 
for no special remarks. The Cryptoprocta ferox is amongst them. 
