168 THE SENSE OF TOUCH IN ANIMALS 



climbs he first lays hold of the branch with one of his hands, and 

 then with the other. When he has obtained a firm hold with 

 both hands, he moves one of his hind paws, and, after firmly- 

 grasping the branches with it, he moves the other. He never 

 quits his hold with his hind paws until he has obtained a secure 

 grasp with his hands. When he walks he moves his hmbs in 

 the same methodical manner as when he chmbs." 



This description of the nocturnal arboreal hfe of the Slow Loris 

 gives one a vivid idea of the extreme importance to its hfe, of 

 an accurate and dehcate sense of touch, so that when visual 

 impressions are much diminished or absent, their place should 

 be taken by very efficient tactile impressions. The other five 

 Lemuroids examined, Galago, Javan Loris, Lemurs of three species, 

 depend nearly as much for their safety and success in hfe upon a 

 dehcate tactile sense ; and the illustrations of their papillae of 

 the corium show a very similar high degree of development. In 

 the case of many birds also, there is present a great need for 

 similar effective maintenance of equihbrium in the large part 

 of their lives and in this group also, we have seen a highly 

 developed papillary layer of the corium. One may easily read 

 in terms of the development of the papillary layer of the corium, 

 and often of the papillary ridges or their equivalents, the degree 

 of importance to the animal of this use of the tactile sense. The 

 effect of this study is to show that it is possible to read this 

 record very closely in the series of illustrations of sections of the 

 skin in the various groups examined. 



