34(5 MR. R. LYDEKKER OX TWO LORISES. [NoV. 29, 



and la'oader pair passing obliquely downwards to the eyes, which 

 they encii'cle. Above the eyes the white interocular stripe 

 expands markedly. 



A very different-looking creature is the Sumatran Slow Loris 

 {jY. t. MUerl), now, I believe, for the first time figured (PL XXIII. 

 fig. 2). In this race the general colour is bright rufescent chest- 

 nut slightly washed with grey ; the dorsal stripe and crown-patch 

 being a deeper i-ufous, faintly bordei'ed with brown, and on the 

 whole less distinct than in N. t. malayanus. The crown-patch is 

 much less distinctly divided into two pairs of lines than in the 

 latter ; the blotches over the eyes being mixch broader, and the 

 interoculnr white streak consequently much reduced in width. 

 The plate illustrates very clearly the marked distinction between 

 the grey Malay phase and the rufous Sumatran phase of the species ; 

 it would be intei-esting to know the reason for this very strongly 

 mai-ked local difference in colour. 



Passing on to the Slender Loris [Loris gracilis), I find that in 

 the typical Indian form of this animal, as represented by a couple 

 of mounted specimens from Madras recently presented to the 

 British Museum by Mr. E. Thurston (PI. XXIII. fig. 3), the 

 general colour is pale mouse-grey passing into pure white between 

 the eyes, on the sides of the face, under-parts, &c. On the face 

 the white intei'ocular streak extends some distance on the fore- 

 head above the line of the eyes, and then divides into a pair of 

 bands wdiich pass outwards in front of the eyes, and thus cut off 

 a small patch above each of the lattei' from the gi'ey of the rest 

 of the head. These patches are pi^actically restricted to the areas 

 above the eyes, there being little or no grey fur on the outer side 

 of and below the lattei-. 



The Ceylon Loris, on the other hand, of which the British 

 Museum has recently piirchased a mounted specimen (PI. XXIII. 

 fig. 4), is a rufous instead of pale grey animal ; the general colour 

 of the upper- parts and eye-patches being pale rufescent brownish 

 grey silvered Avith white ; the crown and back being darker than 

 elsewhere. Moreover, the eye-patches are much larger, the brown 

 extending round the oviter side of the orbits to occupy a con- 

 siderable area below them. Again, with the exception of the 

 intei'ocular strij^e and the sides of the face (and even these are by 

 no means pure white) the under-parts are cream-colour or pale bufi', 

 instead of white. These differences, I submit, amply demonstrate 

 the right of the Ceylon Loris to subspecific distinction, and I 

 accoi'dingiy propose to call it Loris gracilis zeylanicus, taking the 

 British Museum specimen as the type. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XXIII. 



Fig. 1. Head oi Nycficehus tardigradns malai/anus (p. 345). 



2. Head of Ni/cficehits fardi(/r<idi(s Jiilleri (p. 346). 



3. Head oi Loris gracilis tj/picns (p. 346). 



4. Head of Loris gracilis sej/lanicus {p. 346). 



