AYE-AYE. 107 



habit. Unfortunately, however, from the nocturnal habits 

 and rarity of the creature itself, as well as from the absence 

 of a sufficient number of competent observers in its native 

 haunts, we are by no means so well acquainted with the 

 habits of this strange creature as is desirable. It appears, 

 however, that the aye-ayes live either in pairs or alone in 

 the bamboo forests of Madagascar, and that they are in the 

 habit of constructing ball-like nests of leaves placed in the 

 forks of trees, to which they retire for their diurnal slumber. 

 The strong incisor teeth are certainly used for ripping up 

 the hard external cases of the sugar-canes, on which these 

 animals delight to feed ; and it is said that they are like- 

 wise employed to tear away the bark and wood from the 

 trunks of trees, and thus expose the burrows of wood-eating 

 larvae, which are then extracted by the aid of the thin 

 middle finger. If any of our readers who have friends 

 living in Madagascar can induce them to try and obtain 

 more particulars in regard to the aye-aye, they will be 

 conferring a real benefit on science. 



