_Plate VI.--Illustrating the characteristic features of the Zoology of Madagascar._--The lemurs, which form the most prominent feature in the zoology of Madagascar, being comparatively well-known from the numerous specimens in our zoological gardens; and good figures of the Insectivorous genera not being available, we have represented the nocturnal and extraordinary aye-aye (_Chiromys madagascariensis_) to illustrate its peculiar and probably very ancient mammalian fauna; while the river-hogs in the distance (_Potamochoerus edwardsii_) allied to African species, indicate a later immigration from the mainland than in the case of most of the other Mammalia. The peculiar birds being far less generally known, we have figured three of them. The largest is the _Euryceros prevosti_, here classed with the starlings, although its remarkable bill and other peculiarities render it probable that it should form a distinct family. Its colours are velvety black and rich brown with the bill of a pearly grey. The bird beneath (_Vanga curvirostris_) is one of the peculiar Madagascar shrikes whose plumage, variegated with green-black and pure white is very conspicuous; while that in the right hand corner is the _Leptosoma discolor_, a bird which appears to be intermediate between such very distinct families as the cuckoos and the rollers, and is therefore considered to form a family by itself. It is a coppery-green above and nearly white beneath, with a black bill and red feet. The fan-shaped plant on the left is the traveller's tree (_Urania speciosa_), one of the peculiar forms of vegetation in this marvellous island. Plate VI. [Illustration] SCENE IN MADAGASCAR, WITH CHARACTERISTIC ANIMALS. {279}_Reptiles._--These present some very curious features, comparatively few of the African groups being represented, while there are a considerable number of Eastern and even of American forms. Beginning with the snakes, we find, in the enormous family of Colubridæ, none of the African types; but instead of them three genera--_Herpetodryas_, _Philodryas_, and _Heterodon_--only found elsewhere in South and North America. The Psammophidæ, which are both African and Indian, are represented by a peculiar genus, _Mimophis_. The Dendrophidæ are represented by _Ahætulla_, a genus which is both African and American. The Dryiophidæ, which inhabit all the tropics but are most developed in the Oriental region, are represented by a peculiar genus, _Langaha_. The tropical Pythonidæ are represented by another peculiar genus, _Sanzinia_. The Lycodontidæ and Viperidæ, so well developed in Africa, are entirely absent.