Chapter IV: The Fork-Marked Dwarf-Lemur. Microcebus Furcifer

_Lemur furcifer_, Blainv., Ostéogr. Mamm., 1841, p. 35, pl. vii.

_Cheirogaleus furcifer_, Isid. Geoffr., C. R., xxxi., p. 876 (1850);
Mivart, P. Z. S., 1867, pp. 960-975 (skull and tarsus figured).

_Lepilemur furcifer_, Gray, P. Z. S., 1863, p. 145.

_Phaner furcifer_, J. E. Gray, Cat. Monkeys, Brit. Mus. App., pp. 132,
135 (1870).

_Microcebus furcifer_, Forsyth Major, Nov. Zool., vol. i., p. 16 (1894).

CHARACTERS.--Ears large and long; snout pointed; tail longer than the body, and equally haired; foot elongate. General colour reddish-grey. Unmistakably recognisable by the black dorsal streak bifurcating on the forehead into two branches, extending on the inner side of the ears and terminating over each eye.

Facial portion of skull longer than cranial; angle of lower jaw much produced backwards and downwards; hind margin of palate extending back to hinder margin of posterior molar; hind perforations of palate large; border of maxillary swollen {60}in the canines and pre-molars. Upper anterior incisors much larger than the posterior, and both anterior to canines; anterior pre-molars canine-like, both vertically and proportionately longer than the median pre-molars of any other species of the family; median pre-molar compressed, with a fore and hind heel; the posterior pre-molar with a large internal talon. Molars comparatively small, but longer and narrower than in _M. coquereli_; anterior molar much larger than the posterior pre-molar, its hind inner cusp rudimentary; the posterior molar longer than the posterior pre-molar, and smaller than the other molars, its inner cusp wanting. Lower anterior pre-molar lance-shaped, vertically longer than the two posterior sub-equal grinders; molars sub-equal, much larger than the posterior pre-molar; posterior molar comparatively short, five-cusped.

DISTRIBUTION.--Chiefly found on the west coast of Madagascar.