692 



PRIMA TES 



of evening they awake ; and during the night they ramble among 

 the branches of trees, slowly and quietly, in search of their food, 

 which consists of tender leaves and fruit, small birds, insects, and 

 mice. When in quest of living prey they move noiselessly till quite 

 close, and then suddenly seize it with one of their hands. The 

 female produces but one young one at a time. L. tardigradus was 

 placed by Linnaeus at the head of the list of species of his genus 

 Lemur, and its habits doubtless suggested the generic name which 







^ 



1 j . n 



Fig. 329. — The Gray Loris (Nycticebus cineretts). From A. Milne-Edwards, N. Archives 



du Museum, vol. iii. pi. 3. 



was transferred by Geoffroy to the less nocturnal and spectre-like 

 Madagascar members of the group. 1 



Loris. 2 — Upper incisors very small and equal. Orbits very large, 

 and only separated in the middle line above by a thin vertical plate 

 of bone. Nasals and preniaxillae produced forwards considerably 

 beyond the anterior limits of the maxillae, and supporting a pointed 

 nose. Body and limbs slender. No external tail. Vertebrae : C 7, 

 D 14, L 9, S 3, C 6. This genus is represented only by the Slender 

 Loris (L. gracilis) of Southern India and Ceylon (Fig. 330). This 

 species is common in some of the forest regions of Southern India, 

 and may be purchased in the bazaars at Madras, its eyes being 

 regarded as a remedy by the natives for ophthalmic diseases. It is 

 a strange -looking creature, about the size of a squirrel, of a 

 yellowish-brown colour, with large, prominent eyes, pointed nose, 



1 For the anatomy of this genus, see J. L. C. Shroeder van der Kolk and 

 W. Vrolik, "Recherches d'Anatomie compared sur le genre Stenops d'llliger," in 

 Bijdrarjen tot cle Dierkimdc, Part I, Amsterdam, 1848-54. 



2 Geoffroy, May. Encydop. 2d ann. vol. i. p. 48 (1796). 



