Lemurs.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



47 



pletely back behind the developed and projecting 

 facial portion or muzzle, as to present an almost 

 level surface along the nasal bones to the top of the 

 head. The occipital condyles have the same poste- 

 rior situation as in the dog, so that the head is sus- 

 pended from, rather than even partially balanced 

 on, the vertebral column. The orbits are not com- 

 pletely walled within, but open into the temporal 

 fossae, and have an obliquely lateral aspect; the 

 nasal bones run the whole length to the tip of the 

 snout, or nearly so ; the lower jaw is long and nar- 

 row, and consists of two rami perfectly separate at 

 the chin. Here indeed we first meet with the 

 symphysis of the lower jaw unobliterated, even in 

 the most advanced period of life. In man and the 

 monkeys this suture is not apparent, even in the 

 youngest subjects ; but in the lower mammalia, ex- 

 cepting in the Pachydermata, as a general rule, it 

 is always present. The teeth are as follows : — 

 Four small incisors above in pairs, with an inter- 

 mediate space between them for the reception of 

 the points of the lower incisors and lower canine 

 teeth. The lower incisors (in the true Lemurs) are 

 four in number, but they are accompanied by the 

 lower canines, which, except that they are stronger 

 and larger, resemble the incisors in form and direc- 

 tion. They are long, pointed, compressed, in close 

 contact with each other, and directly obliquely for- 

 wards. The canines of the upper jaw are com- 

 pressed, pointed, and sharp on their posterior edge. 

 The molars are crowned with sharp angular tu- 

 bercles. 



Dental formula of the genus Lemur (Fig. 194*) : — 



Incisors, - ; canines, = — =• ; molars, ^^- The first 



false molar below is stout, and resembles a canine, 

 whence has arisen the idea that it is so really, and 

 that the lower incisors were 6 instead of 4. 



Genus Lemur. Head long, muzzle pointed, eyes 

 moderate and oblique ; ears short and hairy ; tail 

 long and bushy; mamma; two, pectoral. All are 

 natives of Madagascar ; arboreal, nocturnal. Their 

 movements are light, sweeping, elegant, and pre- 

 cise. Their usual voice is a low inward grunt, but 

 they often break forth into an abrupt hoarse roar, 

 producing a startling effect. The term Lemur 

 (from the Latin Lemures, Ghosts) was iirst adopted 

 by LinniBus in allusion to the nocturnal habits and 

 stilly sweeping movements of these singular ani- 

 mals. 



195. 196. — The Ruffed Lemue 

 {Lemur Macaco). Le Vari, Buffon. This is one of 

 the largest and most beautiful of the genus, exceed- 

 ing a cat in size. Its fur is of admirable texture, 

 being full, fine, and silky ; the tail is long and bushy. 

 The general ground is pure white, on which large 

 black patches are tastefully arranged ; the tale is 

 black ; a full ruff of longer hairs than those of the 

 body surrounds the face ; whence its English appel- 

 lation. 



Of the native habits of this and the other Lemurs 

 in the deep forests of Madagascar little is known : 

 they avoid the presence of man, and though harm- 

 less, will defend themselves with great resolution, 

 inflicting severe wounds with their sharp canines. 

 They associate together in troops, and after sunset 

 their hoarse loud roar may be heard in dissonant 

 chorus, resounding among the recesses of the wood- 

 land wilderness. The roar of the Ruffed Lemur is 

 Eeculiarly deep and sonorous. During the day the 

 emurs sleep m their retreats. Fruits, insects, rep- 

 tiles, small birds, and eggs constitute their food. 



When taken young, these animals soon become 

 familiar, and are fond of being noticed and ca- 

 ressed, exhibiting considerable attachment to those 

 who attend them : but we have known them bite 

 severely persons who have irritated them. 



In captivity, with due care, they bear our climate 

 well, though they are impatient of cold, as might be 

 inferred from their soft thick fur. They are fond of 

 sitting perched on the fender before a fire, and in 

 this situation they will spread their hands, half close 

 their eyes, and testify unequivocal satisfaction. 

 During the day they sleep in a ball-like figure on 

 their perch ; and if two be in a cage together they 

 sit close to one another with their tails wrapped 

 boa-like round each other's body, so as to make one 

 round ball, from which, on being disturbed, two 

 heads suddenly make their appearance. Though 

 less intelligent than monkeys in general, they are 

 more gentle and confiding : they will put their 

 heads to the bars of their cage, to have them 

 8c«atched and rubbed, and by their actions invite 

 notice. They have little of the prying, misctiievous, 

 petulant disposition of monkeys, so that with due 

 precautions they may be trusted in a room at liberty. 

 When presented with food, they usually take it in 

 their hands ; but we have seen them feed upon soft 

 bread without holding it. They lap fluid like a 

 dog. They bound and leap with the most astonish- 

 ing agility, gracefulness, and address ; and when in 

 motion the tail is elevated in a sigmoid form, and 



not trailed after them. Strong light greatly incom- 

 modes them ; their eyes gleam at night ; and the 

 pupil is transverse, dilating with the advance of 

 evenins; dimness. 



197, 198. — The White -feonted Lemub 



(Lemur albifrons). Fur ruddy or bronzed-grey 

 above : male with the forehead and sides of the 

 face white ; female with the same part of a deep 

 grey. The female and the Lemur Anjuanensis 

 (Malii d'Angouan) are distinct, contrary to the 

 opinion of Lesson. 



The White-fronted Lemur is gentle, affectionate, 

 and lively : it leaps with great agility, and after a 

 spring of many yards, pitches so lightly on its fin- 

 gers as hardly to attract the notice of the ear. Its 

 manners are the same as those of its race in general. 



199. — The Flockt Lemub. 



Maki a Bourre of Sonnerat ; Lemur Langier, Li- 

 chanotus Laniger, Indris Laniger. This species, 

 which was first described and figured by Sonnerat, 

 as the Maki b, Bourre, has been, we know not why, 

 regarded as a species of Indris (Lichanotus, llliger), 

 and placed in that genus. Cuvier doubted its al- 

 liance to that group ; and for ourselves we hesitate 

 not in referring it to the genus Chirogaleus, Geoffr., 

 founded for the reception of certain Lemurs described 

 and figured by Commerson, but till lately unknown 

 to European naturalists. 



The fingers of both fore and hind hands are fur- 

 nished with long pointed claws, the thumbs only 

 having flat nails. 



The Flocky Lemur is about a foot in the length 

 of the head and body, the tail being nine inches 

 long. The colour is pale ferruginous above, white 

 beneath ; the fur is extremely soft and curled, deep- 

 est about the loins. Face black ; eyes large and 

 greenish-grey. 



In the museum at Paris we examined a species of 

 Chirogaleus closely allied to (perhaps identical 

 with) the Flocky Lemur : it was labelled Chiroga- 

 leus Milii. Head broad and flat ; ears moderate 

 and hairy. Fur soft, full, curly, and glossy, of a fine 

 fawn-brown, paler between the eyes, which are 

 large and surrounded by a brown disk. The hairs 

 are all lead-coloured at the base : chin, throat, under 

 surface, and inside of limbs white. Tail fawn- 

 brown. Teeth as in the genus Lemur. Nails 

 minute, flat, but sharp-pointed ; those of the thumbs 

 as usual. Length of head and body about 14 inches ; 

 of the tail 12. Of two specimens one was presented 

 to the museum by M. Goudot ; the other, alive, by 

 M. le Baron Milius. Native country, Madagascar. 



200. — The Shoet-tailed Ixdkis 



(Lichanotus brevicaudatus). L'Indri, Sonnerat ? 

 Indris brevicaudatus, Geoffr. The genus Lichano- 

 tus (or Indris) differs in some details of dentition 

 from the genus Lemur, to which in most points it 

 is closely allied. The following description of the 

 Indris was taken from a fine specimen in the Paris 

 Museum. The anterior part of the face nearly 

 naked ; the forehead, temples, throat, and chest 

 white ; the ears, the occiput, shoulders, arms, and 

 hands black. The lower part of the back brown, 

 which colour divides on the haunch into two lines, 

 which run down the buttocks and spread on the 

 thighs, leaving the crupper, tail, and posterior part 

 of the thighs white ; the root of the tail is tinged 

 with yellow. Anterior part of thighs and feet deep- 

 ening into black ; heels white, with an anklet of 

 greyish-white; breast brown. Flanks and lower 



Fart of belly white ; and also the inside of the arms, 

 ur beautifully soft and woolly. Thumbs very 

 large and powerful ; foretoe small and united to the 

 next, almost to the last joint : it is armed with a long 

 sharp nail. The nails of the thumbs and fingers, 

 and also of the toes, the first excepted, are small, 

 flat, subkeeled, and pointed. Length from muzzle to 

 root of tail two feet ; of the tail three inches ; of the 

 hind feet seven inches and a half. 



The Indris is a native of Madagascar, where it is 

 said to be frequently trained by the natives for the 

 cha.se. Its voice resembles the wailing cry of a 

 child. The word Indris is said to signify in the 

 Madagascar language a " man of the woods." 



201. — The Diabem Lemue 



{Propithecus Diadana, Benn.). Mr. Bennett pro- 

 posed the genus Propithecus lor this Lemur, which 

 IS a native of Madagascar, and which appears to us, 

 notwithstanding the length of the tail, to belong in 

 reality to the genus Lichanotus. It is in fact a 

 long-tailed Indris. Of its habits nothing is known. 

 Description : — Face nearly naked, with short 

 blackish hairs about the lips, and equally short yel- 

 lowish-white hairs in front of the eyes. Above the 

 eyes, the long, silky, waved, and thickly-set hairs 

 which cover the body commence by a band of yel- 

 lowish white crossing the front and passing beneath 

 the eai-s to the throat. This is succeeded by black, 

 extending over the back of the head and neck, but 



becoming freely intermingled with white on the 

 shoulders and sides, the white gradually increasing 

 backwards, so as to render the loins only slightly 

 grizzled with black. At the root of the tail fulvous, 

 that colour gradually disappearing until the ex- 

 treme half of the tail is white with a tinge of yel- 

 low. Outer side of the anterior limbs, at the upper 

 part, of the slaty-grey of the sides, below which it is 

 pale fulvous. Hands black, except tufts of long 

 fulvous hair at the extremities of the thumb and 

 fingers, extending beyond and covering the nails. 

 Outer sides of the hinder limbs, after receiving a 

 tinge of fulvous from the colour surrounding the 

 root of the tail, of a paler fulvous than the anterior 

 limbs : this becomes much deeper on the hands, 

 which are fulvous, except on the fingers, where there 

 IS a very considerable intermixture of black, the ter- 

 minal tufts, equally long with those.of the anterior 

 bands, being, as in them, fulvous. The under sur- 

 face white throughout, except the hinder part of the 

 throat, where it is of the same colour with the sides 

 of the body. 



Hairs generally long, silky, waved, erect, and 

 glossy ; shorter and more dense on the crupper, 

 where they offer a sort of woolly resistance. Gene- 

 ral character of those on the tail, that of the body 

 hair, but shorter. 



Thumb of anterior hands slender, placed far back, 

 and extremely free ; thumb of hinder hands very 

 strong. 



Length of body and head, measured in a straight 

 line, one foot nine inches ; of the tail, one foot five 

 inches. Anterior limbs, exclusive of hands, seven 

 and a half inches in length from the body ; posterior 

 limbs, fifteen inches and a half. 



Muzzle shorter than in the Lemurs generally ; the 

 distance from the anterior angle of the orbit to the 

 tip of the nose (one inch and a quarter) being equal 

 to that between the eyes. Fars rounded, concealed 

 in the fur : length one inch ; breadth one inch and a 

 half. 



In a young specimen which we examined at Paris 

 the yellow tint on the limbs was very bright and 

 golden. 



Genus Stenops (Loris and Nycficebus, Geoffr.). 

 In the genus Stenops the dentition is the same as 

 in the Lemur, but the tubercles on the crowns of the 

 molars are more acute. The animals of this group 

 are termed Loris, or Slow Lemurs. They are cha- 

 racterised by the head being round, the muzzle 

 short and acutely pointed ; the eyes large, full, 

 bright, and approximating to each other : the ears 

 short, round, open, and almost buried in the fur; 

 the tail completely rudimentary, and the limbs 

 slender. Two species are known, both natives of 

 India and its islands, especially Ceylon, Java, Su- 

 matra, Ssc. 



These animals have been long celebrated for the 

 slowness and caution of their movements, to which 

 may be added a remarkable tenacity of grasp, in 

 conjunction with the power in the limbs of exerting 

 a long continuance of muscular contraction. In 

 the arteries both of the anterior and posterior extre- 

 mities there is a peculiarity first detected by Sir 

 A. Carlisle, and met with in the limbs of the Sloth 

 and a few other instances. No sooner has the main 

 artery, a single tube, reached the commencement 

 of the limbs, but it assumes another character : in- 

 stead of continuing its course as a simple tube, 

 giving off branches as it proceeds, the usual mode, 

 it becomes suddenly subdivided into a congeries of 

 small tubes intertwined together, and communicat- 

 ing with each other freely, thus forming an elon- 

 gated plexus, which may act as a sort of reservoir, 

 and carry onwards a large volume of blood. The 

 relation of this plexus to the bulk of the limb it 

 supplies with blood is greater in point of volume 

 than that of the simple artery in ordinary animals. 



202. — The Slow-paced Lobis 



(Stenope tardigradus). Fur soft, and full ; colour 

 brownish-grey, a deep chestnut stripe passing down 

 the middle of the back ; this stripe, continued on to 

 the head, gives off a branch which encloses each 

 ear, and another which encircles. each eye, and ex- 

 tends to the angles of the mouth ; figure short , 

 hind limbs longer than the fore limbs. Eyes large, 

 nocturnal, with transverse pupils ; muzzle short and 

 pointed. Length 12 or 13 inches. 



203, 204.— The Sle.vdee Lobis 



(Stenops gracilis). Muzzle produced, slender 

 acute ; figure slight ; limbs very lon^, thin, and 

 meagre. General colour rufous-grey ; the under 

 parts whitish ; space round the eyes dusky ; fur 

 soft ; a whitish or white frontal spot points to the 

 interval between the eyes. Length of head and 

 body nine inches. 



These two singular animals arc eminently noc- 

 turnal and arboreal : they sleep during the day on 

 their perch, in a crouching attitude, with the body 

 drawn together, and the head doubled down upon 

 the chest. At night they prowl among the forest 



