5 38 THE INDRI 



and to some small neighbouring islands. Tlie rest oeeur in tlie 

 Ethiopian and in the Oriental region. The rest of the world is 

 at present totally without Lemurs, though, as will be seen in the 

 sequel, the order was more widely spread over the globe in past 

 times. 



Fam. 1. Lemuridae. — This family can be usefully subdivided 

 into four sub-families. 



Sub-Fam. 1. Indrisinae. — This sub-family is limited to Mada- 

 gascar, and has been exhaustively treated of by M. Grandidier 

 and Professor Milne-Edwards in tlie Histoire de Madagascar. 

 These Lemurs contrast with others ])y the large size of the hind- 

 as compared with the fore-limbs. The ears are short. The tail 

 varies in length. The thimib is but slightly opposable, and the 

 toes are webbed. Correlated with the first two of these 

 characters, these Lemurs when upon the ground progress by 

 means of the hind-limbs, holding their arms above their heads. 

 The number of teeth is reduced, the total being thirty. The 

 formula Ms 1 1- C ^ Pm | M f. The colon or large intestine, as 

 figured by Milne-Edwards, has a remarkable watch-spring-like coil, 

 highly suggestive of the Euminants and of certain Piodents. This, 

 however, is only in Fropitliecus and Avaliis. The caecum in 

 this sub-family is specially large. The l)rain is characterised by 

 the comparatively slight development of the angular fissure in 

 ProinthccAis and Avaliis ; it is in them anterior in position. In 

 Indrls it is more S-shaped and larger as in Lemur. The 

 parieto-occipital fissure is fairly well developed, so too is the 

 antero -temporal. 



The genus Indrls has more pronounced external ears than 

 have the two other genera of tlie sulj-family. The tail is 

 rudimentary. The incisors of the upper jaw are sub-equal and 

 set close together, those of the lower jaw have marked longitudinal 

 ridges upon the outer surface, which suggests Galeopithecus (see 

 p. 520). The molars are quadricuspidate. There is but a single 

 species, /. hrevicatidata, which is of a Ijlack colour, diversified with 

 white upon the rump and the limbs. The term " Indri " "' means, 

 as does " Aye-aye," " look." One of the native names for the 



^ So at least the formula lias been given ; but it is very possible that tlie 

 supposed second incisoi- is really, judging from the other Lemurs, a canine. 



- The Malagasy, however, must be vague in definition, or their interpreters 

 not well grounded in the rudiments of the language ; for Sonnerat states that 

 Indri signifies " horame des bois." 



