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Show 1876.] DR. A. GUNTHER ON NEW MAMMALS. 743 I know the two latter only. Although readily distinguished in the adult state, they are sufficiently similar when young to render the determination of examples, the origin of which is unknown, a matter of some uncertainty. The skulls, however, show constant, though slight, distinctive characters. In Atherura macrura (fig. 3, p. 742) the foramina incisiva are extremely narrow slits which run in an almost parallel direction, and are very close together. The palatal notch advances far forwards, to the level of the third molar. The alisphenoid is very thin, but slightly bent outwards. In Atherura africana (fig. 4, p. 742) the incisive foramina are narrow, but conspicuously wider and much more distant than in the Malayan species, and divergent behind. The roof of the palate extends far backwards, its hind margin being behind the level of the last molar. The alisphenoid forms a broad and rather thickened ramus, bent outwards and much produced backwards. 4. On some new Mammals from Tropical America. HAPALE LEUCOPUS. (Plate LXXII.) Upper and lateral parts of the body covered with silky hair of moderate length and brownish-grey colour, darkest on the nape of the neck and occiput; face and head with short sparse white hair. Ears large, naked, without tuft. Throat greyish brown; lower parts of the body and inside of the legs rusty red; forearm, hands, and feet white. Tail short-haired, blackish or black, with white extremity. The female differs from the male in the hairs of the upper parts having silvery white tips. Length of head and body 11^ in., of tail 14^ in. Number of vertebrae: cervical 7, dorsal 12, lumbar 7, sacral 3, caudal 31-33. Medellin. Several specimens, identical in coloration, collected by Mr. T. K. Salmon near Medellin, Antioquia, U. S. of Columbia. DACTYLOMYS TYPUS (Is. Geoffr.). W e have received two fine skins of this rare Rodent, unfortunately without skulls, from the Rio Napo. the occurrence on the coast of West Africa of freshwater fishes previously considered to be exclusively typical of the Indian region. That these instances escaped the notice of naturalists w h o have recently discussed the relations of the African and Indian faunas is to m e less surprising than the omission of a not less singular fact, viz. the reappearance of Atherura on the West-African coast. It strongly confirms M r . Wallace's view that there is present, in the Mammals and Birds of West Africa, a special Oriental or even Malayan element (Geogr. Distrib. i. p. 263). Instances of this kind appear to me to be of infinitely greater weight in solving the problem of the mode of dispersion of animals over the globe (or their genesis) than deductions drawn from lists of genera vaguely or artificially defined. On this occasion I m a y also be allowed to refer to, and thus, perhaps, save from oblivion, some remarks in Rept. Brit. Ind. Introduct. p. viii, in which, I believe, for the first time, the occurrence of African Reptilian types in the Indian Region has been distinctly stated. 49* |