Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 102. (Budapest 2010)

Buzás, B. & Csorba, G.: Catalogue of recent Primates in the Hungarian Natural History Museum

212 B. Búzás & G. Csorba provenance information and this is particularly true for specimens dating back to the 19

t

h century. In former times the Museum also collected or bought some rarities. Nowadays the HNHM customarily receives dead animals from Hungarian zoos, and nature protection authorities also transfer confiscated (dead) specimens. One of the most important museum expeditions in the 1870s was lead by JÁNOS XÁNTUS to Sarawak (then Malayan Borneo). He shot nine Bornean Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus

) and obtained two more skulls, which have an outstanding scientific historical value. XÁNTUS also collected langurs (Presbytis and Trachypithecus species) and shot two Proboscis Monkeys (Nasalis larvatus

) in the Simunjon River area. In the second half of the 19

t

h century a number of species, especially some Lemuridae and Callitrichidae, originated from Amsterdam-based dealers. Some of them are considered rare now. In 1871, four years after GRANDIDIER described the Coquerel Mouse Lemur (Mirza coquereli), G. A. FRANK (note that he was not a collector himself), sold a skin and a skull to the Museum. G. A. FRANK seems to have handled some of VAN DAM'S collections from Northwestern Madagascar. About the same time two mounted Masoala Fork-crowned Lemurs (Phanerfurcifer) and one Eastern Woolly Lemur (Avahi laniger) arrived to Hungary from NE Madagascar. The endangered Indri (Indri indri) specimens bought from London-based E. GERRARD in 1872, and two of the sifaka specimens (Propithecus diadema and Propithecus verreauxi) arrived at the same time. The mounted Aye-aye (.Daubentonia madagascariensis) originated in 1902 from DEYROLLE and a skull from the early 20

T

H century was found in the collection of Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest. The famous Hungarian hunter and collector KÁLMÁN KlTTENBERGER collected numerous small mammals and monkeys for the Museum between 1903 and 1929. He hunted six times in Eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo), and sent mostly galagoes (Galagonidae), including some rarities such as a Mohol Bushbaby (Galago moholi

) and two subspecies of Garnett's Greater Galago {Otolemur garnettii) from Tanzania. KlTTENBERGER brought two Eastern Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii

) from Bugoma Forest, Uganda. Unfortunately, the mounted specimens were destroyed by fire when the exhibition hall of the Hungarian National Museum was shelled by the Soviet Army during Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 102, 2010