THE LEMURS. I05 



back and biting the ears and neck. The flesh, somewhat resembling that 

 of a rabbit in taste, is considered a great delicacy by the natives. 



They endure captivity well. Buffon had a male Maki which was 

 quite tame and a great thief. It used to lick his hand ; but if its tongue, 

 rough like a cat's, drew blood, it bit savagely. Another specimen lived 

 in Paris a long time. It was very fond of warmth, and used to go so 

 near the flame as to singe its whiskers ; it was cleanly, and careful not to 

 soil its fur, and was very curious and greedy, but kindly to all comers. 

 Every evening it hopped or danced for about half an hour, and then lay 

 down to sleep. 



THE RUFFED AND THE BLACK-FRONTED LEMURS. 



The Ruffed Lemur, Lemur varius, is one of the largest species of the 

 family, equaling in size a moderately grown cat. 



The texture of the fur is extremely fine, and its color presents bold 

 contrasts between pure white and a jetty blackness, the line of demar- 

 cation being strongly defined. The visage is black, and a fiinge of long 

 white hairs stands out like a ruff round the face, giving to the creature 

 its very appropriate title. Its voice is a deep sepulchral roar, peculiarly 

 loud considering the size of the animal, which can be heard at a great 

 distance. 



The Atumba or Black-fronted Lemur, Lemur macaco, and the 

 White-FRONTED Lemur, Lemur leucomystax, are sometimes classed as 

 different species, but Brehm, who has studied them both in captivity, 

 asserts they belong to one and the same species. He says that all the 

 Black-fronted Lemurs he has seen are males, all the White-fronted are 

 females, and that reports from the zoological gardens in London, Cologne, 

 and Rotterdam, and from friends in Zanzibar, state that their experience 

 IS the same. A female under his charge brought forth a young one, 

 which showed no sign of blending of color, such as hybrids usually do. 



It is a gentle and engaging creature, and not at all shy, even to 

 strangers, unless they alarm it by loud voices or hasty gestures. It is 

 possessed of great agility, climbing trees, and running among the 

 branches with perfect ease, and capable of springing through a space 

 of several yards. So gently does it alight on the ground after its leaps, 

 that the sound of its feet can scarcely be heard, nor can the eye follow 

 its motions. When pursued, it displays incredible activity ; it will 

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