THE LEMURS 201 



is, perhaps, almost superfluous to mention that the name lemur is taken from the 

 Latin term levmtres, which, together with that of larva, was applied by the ancient 

 Romans to such shades of the dead as were supposed to be of malignant propensi- 

 ties. It is somewhat curious that both these terms should have been introduced 

 into zoological nomenclature ; the former to denote the animals of the present 

 group, while the latter is applied to the grub stage of insects. 



Altogether, there are somewhere about fifty species of lemur-like 

 animals, of which the distribution presents some very remarkable 

 features. In the first place, they are all restricted not only to the Old World, but 

 also to the southern regions of the great land masses of that hemisphere, none of 

 them being found to the northward of the tropic of Cancer, while the tropic of 

 Capricorn very nearly limits their southward range. Within this area a few species 

 are found respectively throughout the warmer regions of Africa, and in Southern 

 India and Ceylon, while their eastern limits are marked by the island of Celebes and 

 the Philippines. In all these regions the number of species is comparatively few, 

 and they form but an unimportant element in the general fauna of the country. 

 The case is, however, very different in the great island of Madagascar, which is the 

 headquarters of the whole group. Here we find them constituting no less than 

 one-half of the entire Mammalian fauna of the island, being represented by six 

 genera, which include more than thirty species ; most of the other Mammals being 

 comparatively small forms, unknown either on the continent of Africa or in 

 Asia. The true lemurs occur only in Madagascar, and it is very remarkable 

 that all the species of the group found in that island scarcely show any closer 

 relationship to those of the African mainland than they exhibit to those of 

 Asia. So abundant, indeed, are lemurs in Madagascar, that, according to Monsieur 

 Grandidier, who has done so much to increase our knowledge of this group, at 

 least one individual is almost sure to be found in every little copse throughout 

 the island. 



It will be evident that such a numerous population of helpless animals like 

 lemurs could not exist in a land overrun with large carnivorous animals ; and in the 

 whole of Madagascar we find only a few civets and an allied creature known as the 

 foussa. Now to account for these peculiar features the absence of all large Car- 

 nivores, except civets, and the abundance of lemurs we have to call in the aid of 

 the geologist. He will tell us that lemur-like animals, accompanied by civet-like 

 Carnivores, existed in England, France, and other parts of Europe during the early 

 part of the Tertiary period. And we are accordingly led to conclude that the 

 lemurs and civets of Madagascar obtained an entrance into that island, doubtless by 

 way of Africa, at a time when that continent was still free from the presence of the 

 large Carnivores and the host of hoofed Mammals which now form such a dominant 

 feature in its animal population. After the lemurs and civets had obtained an 

 entrance into Madagascar that country became separated from the adjacent main- 

 land, and it has remained as an island ever since. There, secure from molestation, 

 the lemurs have attained a development unequaled at any time in any part of the 

 globe, and afford us an admirable instance of the importance a group of animals 

 may attain when living under favorable conditions. 



