43 Q.UADRUMANA. 



disproportionate extent. They have a rounded head, large eyes 

 and a long tufted tail. The hands are small and delicate ; ex- 

 ternally covered with a soft down, but within they are naked. 

 The nails of all the fingers of the hand as well as of the third and 

 fourth finger of the feet are triangular in shape ; on the index 

 and middle finger of the feet they resemble the thorns of a rose 

 bush. The fur is woolly and soft, the general color brown, in- 

 clining to gray. Two species are known. Tarsius Bancanus. 

 The BANCA TARSIER, and T.fuscomanus. (Lat. fuscus, dark or 

 swarthy ; manus, hand.) These animals feed chiefly on lizards. 

 Averse to light, they retire by day under the roots of trees. Dr. 

 Horsefield obtained the BANCA TARSIER in Banca, near laboos, 

 one of the mining districts, where, he says, it inhabits the exten- 

 sive forests in the vicinity. 



Cheiromys, (G. cheir, hand; mus, mouse.) The AYE- AYE. 

 This quadruped, whose name signifies hand-mouse, resembles the 

 di, or sloth in its habits, but should not be confounded with that 

 animal. Cuvier places it with the Rodent.ia, but it may properly 

 be classed, as it has been by some naturalists, among the monkeys. 

 Its specific name Madagascariensis, points it out as a native of 

 Madagascar. It burrows under ground, and is slothful and noc- 

 turnal in its habits ; has large flat ears, like those of a bat, and a 

 tail like a squirrel's ; but its most distinguishing peculiarity is the 

 middle finger of the fore foot, the last two joints of which are very 

 long, slender and without hair. This peculiarity aids the animal 

 in drawing worms out of the holes in the trees, and in holding 

 on to branches. Its length is eighteen inches, exclusive of the 

 tail, and its general color ferruginous (iron) brown, mixed with 



Galeopithecus, (Gr. galeos, a weasel ; pithecos, an ape.) FLY- 

 ING LEMUR. 



This genus of animals is the connecting link between the 

 Lemurs and the Bats. There are two species; some enumer- 

 ate three. G. volans, the Flying Lemur, is found in the most 

 eastern islands of the Indian Archipelago. The chief peculiarity 

 of this animal is the extension of its skin between the front 

 and hind limbs, including also the tail, by which it receives a 

 i parachute-like support in the air, and is able to take long sweep- 

 ing leaps from tree to tree, somewhat like flying ; but it has not, 

 like the bats, the power of continued flight. The general struc- 

 ture is like that of the Lemurs. During the day it sleeps sus- 

 pended on the branches, with the head downward. At night it 

 goes forth in quest of its food, which in addition to insects, consists 

 of fruits, eggs and birds. 



