THE SLOW LEMURS, OR LORIS 



2 33 



This animal is confined to the forests of Southern India and Ceylon, and 

 appears only to be found in those which are situated at but a comparatively slight 

 elevation above the sea level. Mr. Blanford states that its habits are very similar 

 to those of its cousin, the slow loris, although its movements are not quite so de- 

 liberate. It partakes of the same kind of food as the latter ; and sleeps rolled up 

 like a ball, with its head between its thighs, and its hand grasping the bough on 

 which it is seated, as shown in our illustration on p. 232. 



The present writer once had occasion to purchase a pair of these animals in the 

 bazaar at Madras, and was surprised to find the number of specimens which were 

 exposed there for sale. On the voyage up to Calcutta these pretty little creatures 

 lived mainly on a diet of plantains and rice, supplemented with an occasional cock- 



THE SLENDER IORIS. 



roach ; but as they passed the whole day in slumber, they could scarcely be 

 reckoned as very lively pets. 



Sir J. Emerson Tennent, who tells us that this animal has acquired the name of 

 the "Ceylon sloth" in Ceylon, observes that "the singularly large and intense eyes 

 of the loris have attracted the attention of the Singhalese, who capture the creature 

 for the purpose of extracting them as charms and love-potions, and this they are 

 said to effect by holding the little animal to the fire till the eyeballs burst. Its 

 Tamil name is Thavangu, or ' thin bodied ' ; and hence a deformed child or 

 emaciated person has acquired in the Tamil districts the same epithet. The light- 

 colored variety of the loris in Ceylon has a spot on the forehead, somewhat 

 resembling the namam, or mark worn by the worshipers of Vishnu ; and from this 

 peculiarity it is distinguished as the Nama-thavangu." 



