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APES, MONKEYS, AND LEMURS 



Writing of this species, Sir J. Kirk observes that "it is confined to the mari- 

 time region, so far as I know never penetrating beyond the band of wood generally 

 known as the mangrove forests. By the Portuguese it is named ' rat of the cocoa- 

 nut palm,' that being its favorite haunt by day, nestling among the fronds; but if 

 it be disturbed, performing feats of agility, and darting from one palm to another, 

 it will spring with great rapidity, adhering to any object as if it were a lump of wet 

 clay. It has one failing, otherwise its capture would be no easy task. Should a 

 pot of palm wine be left on the tree, the creature drinks to excess, comes down, and 

 rushes about intoxicated. In captivity they are mild, during the day remaining 

 either rolled up in a ball, or perched half asleep, with ears stowed away like a 



THE GREAT GAI.AGO. 

 (One-sixth natural size.) 



1 



beetle's wing under its hard and ornamented case. I. had half a dozen squirrels 

 with one in the same cage ; these were good friends, the latter creeping under the 

 golgo's" [Sir J. Kirk's way of spelling galago] "soft fur and falling asleep. On 

 introducing a few specimens of (elephant) shrew, the golgo seized one and bit off 

 its tail, which, however, it did not eat. The food it took was biscuit, rice, orange, 

 banana, guava, and a little cooked meat. Stupid during the day, it became active 

 at night, or just after darkness set in. The rapidity and length of its leaps, which 

 were absolutely noiseless, must give great facilities to its capturing live prey. I 

 never knew it to give a loud call, but it would often make a low, chattering noise. 



