Chapter VI: The Crowned Lemur. Lemur Coronatus

_Lemur coronatus_, Gray, Ann. and Mag. N. Hist., x., p. 257 (1842);
Schl., Mus. Pays. Bas., vii., p. 313 (1876); Milne-Edwards et Grandid.,
Hist. Nat. Madag., Mamm., Atlas, pls. 158-161, 165, 166.

_Lemur chrysampyx_, Scheurm. Mém. Cour. Acad. Brux., xxii., p. 6 (1848 =
female).

_Prosimia coronata_, Gray, P. Z. S., 1863, p. 138.

CHARACTERS.--Tips of ears naked; tail a little more than the length of the body.

MALE.--Face, nose, and region round the eyes greyish-white; cheeks and forehead rufous or yellowish-red; a conical spot in the centre of the head between the eyes, dark brown or black, intruding sometimes on the rufous of the forehead; ears white; inner side of limbs and under side of body greyish-white; tail rufous at base, the upper side blackish, and the under side lighter; rest of body sienna-grey.

FEMALE.--Upper side entirely grey, washed with yellowish cream-colour on the middle and lower part of the back, and on the upper side of the tail; long black hairs present in the tail; the under side entirely silvery-grey; fur at base black, the tips grey or silvery; instead of the black spot on the forehead there is a golden yellow-hooped, or widely V-shaped, bar above the eyes, narrower in the centre over the nose.

Albino specimens are sometimes found, which are entirely white, except for the golden bar over the eyes.

{76}VII. THE RED-BELLIED LEMUR. LEMUR RUBRIVENTER.

_Lemur rubriventer_, Is. Geoffr., C. R., xxxi., p. 876 (1850); Schl.,
Mus. Pays. Bas., vii., p. 311 (1876); Milne-Edw. & Grandid., Hist. Nat.
Madag., Mamm., Atlas, ii., pls. 167-170 (1890).

_Lemur flaviventer_, Is. Geoffr., _tom. cit._, p. 876 (1850).

CHARACTERS.--Inner margins and outside of ears haired, the interior nude.

MALE.--Face, a line down the forehead, and snout dark maroon-brown; a ring round the eyes cobalt-blue; rest of head and cheeks reddish-brown; upper side of body speckled reddish-brown, darker on the lower back; tail almost black, with long white hairs distributed throughout its length; feet rufous; under side of body pale.

FEMALE.--Like the male, but having the cheeks whitish; a narrow ring round the eyes pale blue; upper surface umber-brown, washed with reddish-yellow; under side and inner sides of limbs yellowish; ruff reddish-chestnut.

YOUNG.--Head entirely rufous; nose black.

DISTRIBUTION.--Madagascar.