242 



APES, MONKEYS, AND LEMURS 



more or less nearly similar habits, it frequently results that they will closely re- 

 semble one another in at least some part of their structure ; such particular struc- 

 ture being the one best adapted for a particular mode of life. In all such cases a 

 superficial examination of the animals in question will frequently lead to their being 

 referred to one and the same group ; while further minute investigations will reveal 

 the fact that their deep-seated internal structure which alone reveals their true 

 affinities is very different. Such was the case with the aye-aye, which was at first 

 referred to the Rodents ; its affinities to the lemurs not having been discovered till 

 a fuller examination. 



The aye-aye agrees with the true lemurs in having the great toe of the foot 

 furnished with a flattened nail, and capable of being opposed to the other toes ; 



THE AYE-AYE. 

 (One-ninth natural size.) 



this feature being alone sufficient to prove that the creature has nothing to do with 

 the Rodents. With the exception of this great toe, however, all the toes and 

 fingers, which are very long and narrow, are furnished with narrow and sharply- 

 pointed claws. Although both the hands and the feet are large in proportion to 

 the size of the animal, yet the great peculiarity is concentrated in the hands, in 

 which the fingers are much longer than are the toes of the feet. One finger 

 namely, that corresponding to our middle finger is more remarkable than the 

 others, being of great length and extreme slenderness. It is probable that this 

 ghostly middle finger is employed in extracting from their burrows the larvae 



