24 LEMURS. 



enough to retreat to a quiet room where my nerves 

 could recover from the shock. 



I think the Madagascar woods where these 

 animals dwell must be most gruesome places at 

 night, with these black and white creatures flitting 

 about in the branches, abruptly uttering their 

 terrific roars at intervals. 



A family quarrel among lemurs must be a thing 

 to remember. Besides this, they also give a loud 

 groan now and then, which irresistibly reminds one 

 of Punch's "moaning gipsy in the back garden." 

 Such a groan must sound additionally weird at 

 night in the dark woods. 



When I gave my friends an account of the scare 

 I had had, one of them returned with me to the 

 conservatory to be favoured with a special per- 

 formance of " Ghosts." Mungo was brought in 

 once more, and up rose the awful sound, with such 

 effect that my friend turned and fled, even though 

 she had been forewarned. Fear is quite irresistibly 

 awakened by the strange quality of the sound 

 given forth by these animals. Having very slight 

 means of defending themselves, I imagine this 

 roaring power has been bestowed upon them to 



