Chapter II: The Broad-Nosed Gentle-Lemur. Hapalemur Simus

_Hapalemur (Prolemur) simus_, J. E. Gray, Cat. Monkeys, Brit. Mus. App.,
p. 133 (1870); id. P. Z. S., 1870, p. 828, pl. lii., pp. 829, 830, figs.
1-4 (Skull).

_Prolemur simus_, J. E. Gray, P. Z. S., 1872, p. 851.

_Hapalemur simus_, Beddard, P. Z. S., 1884, p. 392; Jentink, Notes Leyd.
Mus., vii., p. 33 (1885).

CHARACTERS.--Nose broad and truncated; ears short, covered with long hair on the outside and along the margin inside.

Very similar to _H. griseus_; head and upper back dark reddish-grey, faintly washed with rufous; sides of head, neck, and region round the eyes lighter; sides of nose and region between the eyes black; ears dirty grey; lower back, sides of {83}body, and outer surface of limbs sooty-grey, with here and there a wash of rufous; the patch on the end of the rump and upper part of the base of the tail uniform pale yellowish rust-colour; remainder of tail sooty-grey; from the chin to the chest yellowish-grey; under side of body and inner side of arms pale sooty-grey.

No spines on the fore-arm above the wrist as in _H. griseus_. In the skull, the nose is broad, square, and truncated; the pre-maxillæ very small; the lower jaw weak and narrow in front.

DISTRIBUTION.--Only known from Madagascar.

HABITS.--The habits of the Broad-nosed Lemur are said to differ in no respect from those of the foregoing species.

THE SPORTIVE-LEMURS. GENUS LEPIDOLEMUR.

_Lepilemur_, Is. Geoffr., Cat. Méth. Primates, p. 75 (1851).

_Lepidolemur_, Peters, M. B. Akad. Berlin, 1874, p. 690 (1874).

This genus contains, according to Dr. Forsyth Major, as many as seven species. This excellent comparative anatomist has made a very careful revision of the group, and the present writer has gratefully to acknowledge from him many valuable notes incorporated under this section, as well as his kindness in supplying for publication the diagnoses of his new species.

Dr. Major divides these seven species into two series:--(A) a group of four larger species, and (B) a group of three smaller species.

The members of this genus are smaller than the True Lemurs of the genus _Lemur_. Their head is conical and short, their ears large, round, and membranaceous, and the tail is shorter than the body. In this latter character and in their shorter limbs they differ from _Mixocebus_. The fourth finger and toe are the longest digits of their respective extremities, the nails of all are keeled, and that of the great toe is very large and flat.

{84}In the skull, the muzzle is longer than the longitudinal diameter of its orbit in the series of larger species (Section A); in the smaller species (Section B) the muzzle is shorter.

Their dentition presents several important characters. The series of upper molars and pre-molars form almost a straight line, both sides being almost parallel, or only slightly convergent towards the front. In the upper jaw the incisors are wanting; the canines are very large and grooved internally, and have a posterior heel. There is no gap between them and the anterior pre-molar, which last is vertically taller than the rest, and has one cusp to the outside, whereas the median and posterior have an inner cusp as well. The anterior and median molars have the inner hind cusp rudimentary, but the cingulum rises into a minute cusp, both at the fore and hind edge; the posterior molar is three-cusped. The whole of the cheek-teeth gradually broaden and decrease in vertical height from before backward as far as the median molar. In the lower jaw the anterior pre-molars are large, canine-like, and decumbent, and have a strong process on their anterior margin (resembling that in the corresponding tooth in _Indris_); the median and posterior pre-molars have one external cusp, and the latter tooth one interior cusp in addition. The anterior and median molars have a rudimentary fifth cusp, which is large in the posterior molar.

The pre-maxillæ are very much reduced, so that the teeth they usually carry are generally wanting. The bony palate is short, its hind margin extending back only to the middle of the median molar; its anterior foramina are small; and it differs from that of _Microcebus_ and _Chirogale_ in having its posterior perforations small. The angle of the lower jaw is produced downwards and backwards. The mastoid portion of the ear-capsules (periotic bones) as well as the squamosal are markedly {85}enlarged and swollen, in this respect differing from the skulls of _Lemur_ and _Hapalemur_. The ridges in the temporal bone unite into a frontal (sagittal) ridge, and the space between the orbits is depressed; a depression is also present on the cheek in front of the lachrymal foramen. The foot is slightly elongated by the lengthening of the _naviculare_ bone of the ankle (_tarsus_), the thin bones of which are short. In the wrist (_carpus_) there is no _os centrale_ or central bone, which is otherwise invariably present in the Primates, except in Man, the Chimpanzees, the Gentle-Lemurs, and the Endrina.

The Sportive-Lemurs are confined to Madagascar and are nocturnal and arboreal creatures, feeding on leaves and fruits.

In Group A (the larger species) are included: 1, The Weasel-like Lemur (_L. mustelinus_); 2, the Red-tailed Sportive-Lemur (_L. ruficaudatus_); 3, Edwards' Sportive-Lemur (_L. edwardsi_); and 4, the Small-toothed Sportive-Lemur (_L. microdon_). Group B (consisting of the smaller species) comprises: 1, The Round-headed Sportive-Lemur (_L. globiceps_); 2, Grandidier's Sportive-Lemur (_L. grandidieri_); and 3, the White-footed Sportive-Lemur (_L. leucopus_). With the exception of the two first-named species, all the others are here made known for the first time by Dr. Forsyth Major. Very little is recorded of the habits of these animals. They are so rare that at present the various species are known from a few skins or alcoholic specimens in European museums. They are said to be inhabitants only of the forest-country, nocturnal in their habits, sleeping coiled up in some retreat all day, but issuing forth at night, at which time they are very agile in their movements.

{86}SECTION A. (SPECIES MAJORES.)