THE SPECTRE TARSIER 9 



climb without aid. Usually there is only one at a 

 birth, sometimes two. Tarsiers wander about in 

 pairs like the galagoes, and it is said that when one 

 of them is taken the capture of its mate may be con- 

 fidently predicted in a very short time. In this 

 connection it will be remembered that the bush 

 baby or maholi galago — an allied African species — is 

 often taken in pairs by the bushveld Boers. 



The present species excellently exemplifies the 

 uncertainty which attends the study of rare animals. 

 In the first place its haunts are situated in 

 a region of the globe — Malaysia — remote from 

 scientific investigation. Secondly, it is nocturnal — 

 hence less likely to be met with than a daylight 

 species. Thirdly, it is of small size, therefore less 

 conspicuous than a larger animal would be, and 

 easily lost in the tangled brakes of the jungle. 

 Fourthly, it is arboreal — difficult to find when asleep, 

 or to capture when awake. Fifthly, it is rare even 

 in the remote localities which it is known to inhabit ; 

 while some of the natives, instead of petting 

 it like those animal-lovers, the Malays, regard it 

 with superstitious dread. According to Professor 

 Schleofel the Sumatrans believe that the tarsier — 

 once the size of a lion — will cause misfortune to 

 befall if it shows itself on a tree near their ricefields 

 — "een ongeluk zal overkomen waneer er zich een 

 op een boom in de nabijheed von hunne rijsvelden 

 vertoont." Although, of course, Europeans do not 



