MYOXICEBUS 



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pared would show at once by their great dissimilarity of size, and shape 

 of the muzzle, (one broad and one truncate, the other narrow and 

 pointed), that they represent very distinct species. 



There are two specimens in the Paris Museum, marked male and 

 female and named M. simus, collected by M. Lentz in the valley of 

 Ambookobe, Madagascar, but which in color, do not resemble Gray's 

 type of the species. Both examples have the very broad nose and 

 muzzle of M. simus. The following description was taken from the 

 male specimen. Nose between eyes and on sides black; top of head, 

 neck, and between shoulders, reddish chestnut, the hairs tipped with 

 ochraceous ; rest of back, sides of body, outer side of limbs and under 

 parts yellowish gray, tinged with reddish on arms; throat and under 

 side of arms below elbows rusty ; hands reddish ; feet yellowish gray ; 

 tail at base pale red, remainder brownish gray, blackish at tip ; muzzle 

 white ; ears grayish on long hairs. 



It will be seen that this specimen differs greatly in color from the 

 description of the type of M. griseus given above, and while both 

 examples have characters that would seem to indicate they belonged to 

 Gray's species, the various differences they exhibit in coloration would 

 show that the form was subject to great diversity in its hues. 



Mr. Shaw gives an account of one of these broad nosed Lemurs 

 which he had in captivity (1. c). It was caught in the higher level 

 forest among the bamboos on the eastern side of Betsileo Province. 

 The outwardly inclined teeth in the lower jaw were used as scrapers 

 and not for biting. Besides these nearly all the teeth were serrated 

 and arranged in opposition so as to intersect, and it could bite off easily 

 the young shoots of the bamboo, and mince up a handful of grass 

 blades and stalks, each bite cutting like a pair of scissors. It feeds 

 nearly throughout the entire day, like most grass-eating animals, and 

 for several months this Lemur was kept chained on the lawn, and it 

 rarely ceased from eating the grass from morning until evening. It 

 disliked fruit and could not be induced to touch it although tempted 

 with various kinds growing in the forest, but was very fond of cooked 

 meat and sugar cane ; and through its desire for sugar it was induced to 

 eat cooked rice, which eventually became its chief food. The broad pad 

 on the great toes enabled it to grasp even the smoothest surface firmly. 

 The male's head was round in shape, the female had a more pointed 

 nose. The cry it uttered was at times like that of a duck, but on other 

 occasions was loud and piercing. 



