542 



SPECIES OF THE GENUS LEMUR 



Ring-tailed Lemur, or the " Madagascar Cat " of sailors. Lemur 

 macaco shows a remarkable sexual dimorphism, the male being 

 black, and the lemale — form.erly described as a distinct species, 

 L. leucomystax — being reddish brown with white wliiskers and 

 ear tufts. This led to a confusion with a, totally distinct species, 

 L. riffipcs, of which the male (regarded as distinct and called 

 Z. nigerrimns) is entirely black. This latter idi'iitification is, 

 however, considered by Dr. Forsyth Major ^ to 1 )e not quite 

 certain at present. 



The young Lemur is at least sometimes carried by tlie mother 

 across her belly; its tail passes round her l»ack and then round 

 its own neck. 



The Lemurs of this genus agree with those of some other 

 genera in the loudnt'ss of tlieir voice, which is constantly 



Fig. 259. — Fiuft'ed Lemur. Lemur varius 



exercised. Some move about by day and others by iiight. They 

 are insectivorous and carni^'orous as well as vegetarian ; and Mr. 

 Lydekker suggests - that their abundance and hardiness is to be 

 traced to this i'onduess for a mixed diet. Lemur catta seems to 

 be the only member of the genus that is not arboreal. It lives 

 among rocks where but few trees, and those much stunted, occur. 

 Many species of Lemur are always to be seen in the Zoological 

 Society's Gardens. Fourteen " species " liave at one time or 

 another been exhibited. 



Sub-Fam. 3. Galagininae. — This sub-family is found on the 

 continent of Africa as well as in Madagascar ; but the genera are 



1 Proc. Zool. Soc. 18&9, p. 554. 

 - Eoyal Xaturnl His'orij, Loudon, ]S9i, p. 2\\. 



