CHARACTERISTICS. 99 



lower monkeys of the New World that they could possibly 

 be confounded by observant persons (although we have 

 heard of some members of the family being mistaken for 

 sloths) ; but the distinct geographical distribution of the 

 two groups renders it improbable that any confusion is 

 likely to arise between them. The nearest relations of the 

 lemurs are undoubtedly the monkeys, and most naturalists 

 in this country are now agreed in regarding the former as 



FIG. 32. The Slender Loris, in waking and sleeping postures, with 

 figures of the arm and leg. (From Sir J. E. Tennent.)* 



representing a primitive group of the order (Primates) 

 which includes the latter. Lemurs may always be dis- 

 tinguished from monkeys and apes by certain features in 

 their skulls, as well as by several peculiarities in their 



* We are indebted to Messrs. Longmans for the use of this figure. 



H2 



