1896.] zoological expedition to madagasoab. 975 



Inseotitoea. 



Of Malagasy Insecfcivora 14 species were known when I left 

 Europe, viz. 13 Cenielidm and 1 Crocidura, not taking in account 

 one Crocidura apparently introduced from India. All of these, with 

 the exception of three {EcMnops, Geogale, and Mkrogale crassipes), 

 are represented in my collections. Of one species, viz. Oryzoryctes 

 ietradactylus, which before was known only by one immature 

 specimen in Paris, and one skin without the skull in London, I 

 have brought back upwards of 150 specimens of all ages. Of 

 another rare form, Microyale dohsoni, known only by an imperfect 

 young specimen in the National Museum, there are also numerous 

 specimens. Besides I have come upon 9 new species, all of them 

 Centetidse, bringing the number of this Malagasy family up to 23, 

 the number of insectivorous species brought home by myself being 

 20, viz. : — 1 Crocidura, 1 Centetes, 2 Ericulus, 2 Hemicentetes, 

 1 Limnoffole, 4 Oryzoryctes, 9 Microgale. 



I have elsewhere ' published short descriptions of most of the 

 new species, but have not yet begun the proper working-out of 

 this rich material ; I therefore limit myself to a very few general 

 remarks. 



The Tanrec, Centetes ecaudatus, which is often considered to be 

 the type of the family Centetidas, is certainly in several respects 

 the least typical of them all, being very much specialized in various 

 directions. 



One remarkable form, modified for aquatic life, for which I have 

 proposed the new genus Limnogale (L. mergulus), deserves special 

 mention. It is almost of the size of Mus ratius, furnished with 

 webbed toes, a powerful laterally compressed tail, short, broad, 

 and flattened head, large infraorbital foramen, &c. The clavicles 

 are present, whilst in the African Fotamoyale they are wanting. 



Amongst the smaller species with soft hair, we meet with all 

 gradations from forms highly fossorial (Oryzoryctes) to others in 

 which the fossorial adaptation is reduced to a minimum, or may be 

 altogether wanting (genus Microyale). Some of these last represent 

 apparently the primitive stock of the family. It is from forms 

 not dissimilar to these that a group of highly specialized African 

 Insectivora may have taken their origin, vchilst Centetes, itself a 

 specialized creature, with a brain atrophied before being quite 

 adult, cannot possibly have become the progenitor of fresh offshoots. 



Chieoptbea. 



For want of time the Bats have been only very superficially 

 examined. My last collections having arrived only a short time 

 ago, a certain number of specimens are still enclosed in the 

 tin boxes. 



There seem to be about 12 species represented, of which one 

 ,is certainly new for Madagascar ; only one Vespertilio being known, 

 whilst my collections contain specimens of two species of the genus. 

 1 See Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., Oct. and Dec. 1896. 



Peoo. Zool. Soo.— 1896, No. LXIII. 63 



