126 DK. H. F. STANDING ON SUBFOSSIL 



THE APPENDICULAE SKELETON. 



Fully to describe and discuss the fine series of limb-bones and pelves which have 

 been found at Ampasambazimba would require much more time and space than is now 

 at my disposal. It will be useful, however, by way of forming a basis for future 

 comparison, to give detailed measurements of the greater number of these specimens, 

 and at the same time to call attention to some of the most striking and interesting of 

 them, and very briefly to discuss the affinities of such as appear to throw further light 

 on the problems discussed in the present memoir. 



One preliminary remark must, however, be made. It was stated in the introductory 

 section that no single skeleton has been found complete in the fossil-diggings at 

 Ampasambazimba, but that the bones are in general scattered without order or 

 connection. This fact makes the task of identification and description specially 

 difficult, and I wish it to be understood that I do not regard all the determinations 

 here made as absolute. They must be subject to revision as the material for a more 

 complete comparative study is accumulated. 



In several cases, however, analogy with extant forms and the relations already 

 proved to exist among the subfossil Lemuroids whose skulls have been described Avill 

 form a valuable guide, while inferences as to the probable mode of life of certain of 

 the peculiarly specialised genera will furnish further indications. 



The Humerus. 



Megaladapis. — Seven perfect humeri which must be referred to the genus Megala- 

 dapis have been found. The dimensions of these are given in Table 19, Nos. 1-7 (p. 132) 

 (three are shown in text-fig. 30). A comparison of the various details of this series of 

 bones will show how greatly they difier in some of their principal dimensions. Thus the 

 humerus figured as No. 4 in the table (C in text-fig. 30) is shorter by 4 cm. than No, 1. 

 That this is not a mere sexual difference is shown by the fact that the shorter bone is 

 much the more robust of the two. Had these two bones alone been found I should not 

 have hesitated to refer them to two distinct species, and, indeed, it is quite possible 

 that the smaller bone may be the humerus of M. madagascariensis ; but in view of the 

 fact that several humeri occur of intermediate length, and one even still shorter, it 

 seems better for the present not to refer these bones to several new species but to wait 

 for a fuller knowledge of other parts of the skeleton. 



The general features of the humerus of Megaladapis are already known. The long 

 straight cylindrical shaft, the large rounded head, the broad distal end, the disposition 

 of the tuberosities, the clearly marked bicipital groove, strongly recall the human 

 humerus. We shall presently see that the ulna of Megaladajjis also has certain 

 features resembling the condition observed in Man and the higher Apes rather than 

 the ordinary " Lemuroid " type. Dr. Grandidier regards these Simian resemblances 



