RODENTS — B US H- PIG 



193 



which represent a genus by themselves, and differ from one another in the width 

 of the dark stripes down the back. Another kind, Galidia elegans, is distinguished 

 by the tail being ringed with black after the manner of the ring-tailed lemur. 

 A third type is represented by the brown-tailed mongooses (Hemigalidia), 

 characterised by the uniformly coloured tail, pointed muzzle, and slightly curved 

 claws. More remarkable still is the small-toothed mongoose (Eupleres goudoti), in 

 which the canine teeth are so small and weak as to be scarcely distinguishable from 

 the anterior cheek-teeth, and the whole dentition is so like that of the Insectivora 

 that the animal was formerly regarded as a member of that group. Its food 

 apparently consists of insects and worms. 



THE SMALL-TOOTHED MONGOOSE. 



Rodents. 



In the rodent order the entire families of the squirrels (Sciuridce), 

 dormice (Gliridce), octodonts (Octodontidce), and hares (Leporidce), 

 which are so well represented on the African mainland, are completely absent from 

 Madagascar. The mouse tribe, on the other hand, is represented by a peculiar 

 group allied in the structure of their cheek-teeth to the hamsters, and regarded by 

 some naturalists as a subfamily (A ' esomyince) of the Muridce, but by others as a 

 special family, the Nesomyiidce. The group is represented by eight genera, namely, 

 Brachytarsomys, Nesomys, Hallomys, Brachyuromys, Hypogeomys, Macrotarsomys, 

 Gymnuromys, and Eliuromys. It will be unnecessary to mention the distinctive 

 characteristics of these genera on the present occasion ; but it is important to notice 

 that Anomalomys of the Miocene Tertiary formation of southern France is believed 

 to be a member of the same group. 



Although remains of two rather small species of extinct hippo- 

 potamuses (Hippopotamus madagascariensis and H. lemerlei) are met 

 with in the swamps of the island associated with those of the fossil lemurs alluded 

 to above, the only hoofed mammal now inhabiting Madagascar is a bush-pig 

 13 



Buah-pig. 



VOL. III.- 



