THE INDRI LEMUR 205 



We have already mentioned that the indri is the largest of all the lemurs ; and 

 in a fully adult animal the length of the head and body is about two feet. Although 

 there is great individual variation in this respect, the indri is very strikingly 

 colored. Very frequently the forehead is blackish, but, like the cheeks and throat, 

 it may be gray. The head, shoulders, back, and arms are of a full velvety black ; 

 and the black ears are large and prominent, and covered with longer hairs than 

 those on the head. From the loins to the tail there is a large triangular patch of 

 either pure white or of a yellowish tinge ; this patch terminates in front in a sharp 

 point, and is bordered on all sides with black. The flanks are also light colored, 

 and the dark bands which usually separate the light area of the loins from that of 

 the flanks are continued down the front of the legs ; but the sides of the legs are in 

 general whitish, and their hinder surface gray ; the heel being reddish. The hands 

 and feet are black, and, unlike the specimen we figure, they are, as a rule, almost 

 denuded of hair. 



Such are the common colors in the larger number of specimens of the indri. 

 In almost every flock, however, individuals are found in which the light-colored 

 areas intrude more or less extensively upon those which are usually black ; 

 and from these intermediate forms a complete transition can be traced to others 

 in which the whole of the fur is white. The intermediately colored individuals 

 very generally retain the broad black streak down the front of the leg, and the 

 black ears. 



Instead of being distributed over the whole of Madagascar, the indris are con- 

 fined to the forests on the east coast of the island ; this restricted distribution being 

 due to the great range of mountains running longitudinally through Madagascar, 

 which cuts off these animals from the plains on the western side. 



In contradistinction to most of the lemurs, the indris are purely 



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diurnal in their habits ; they are commonly found in small parties of 

 four or five, although during the day single individuals, more or less widely 

 separated from their companions, may frequently be seen. Their general habits 

 appear to be similar to those of the propitheques, to which we shall refer later on. 

 Unless injured so badly as to be unable to make its escape, the, indri does not give 

 utterance to the least sound when wounded ; if, however, it is so severely hit as to 

 fall to the ground, which it will only do when its extraordinary powers of hold- 

 ing on to the branches of the trees are exhausted, it gives vent to piercing 

 shrieks. 



It is related by Grandidier that some of the inhabitants of Madagascar have an 

 extraordinary superstitious veneration for the indri, and will on no consideration 

 harm it. Different families assign different reasons for this special veneration ; 

 and while it may be of the most marked description in one village, in a neighboring 

 one it may be totally wanting. The author referred to considers that it may be 

 largely due to the plaintive and mournful cries with which these animals frequently 

 make the forests resound, cries which can be heard at great distances, and have a 

 more or less marked resemblance to agonized human wailings. 



