SLOW LEMUR. 7 



in the empty shell of a cocoa-nut In its general man- 

 ner of life, it nearly resembles the squirrel. It is a rest- 

 less and active creature, climbing trees, and skipping 

 about among the branches, with the greatest agility. 

 It gnaws wood like a mouse, and chiefly feeds on insects, 

 fruit, and small birds. It emits a hissing kind of cry, 

 and smells strongly of musk. Its native country is 

 Brazil, and the adjacent parts of South America. 



In size it is smaller than a squirrel. The tail is con- 

 siderably longer than the body, very bushy, and beauti- 

 fully marked with alternate rings of black and white. 

 The head is black, with the forehead, lips, and front of 

 the ears white. The body is of a reddish ash-colour, 

 slightly marked with dusky shades. 



2. LEMUR TRIBE. 



These animals have their paws formed like hands, 

 and in this respect, as well as in their general habits of 

 life, they somewhat resemble the monkeys. The head, 

 however, is shaped like that of the dog ; and the hind 

 legs are much longer than the others. 



Slow Lemur, or Bengal Loris. Melancholy in its ap- 

 pearance, and inactive beyond almost all other animals, 

 this creature has, sometimes, though improperly, been 

 ranked among the sloths. Its only time for strolling 

 abroad, in search of food, is during the night. In the 

 day-time it lies, in its place of concealment, rolled up 

 like a dormouse. The food to which it is most partial, 

 consists of fruit, roots, insects, and small birds. It is 

 capable of being tamed, but is of so chilly a nature, 

 that, if removed out of a hot climate, it would soon 

 perish. 



