THE LEMUROIDS 73 



SLENDEE LORIS (Loris gracilis). 

 Coloured Plate III. Fig. 4. 



The Slender Loris is a small animal only eight or nine 

 inches long, which gains its name on account of the delicate 

 slenderness of its limbs. It has no tail, and its arms and 

 legs are very long. It sleeps during the day, but at night it 

 is a terrible enemy to birds, upon which it feeds in addition 

 to fruit and insects. Its movements are the acme of stealthi- 

 ness ; there is nothing to indicate its presence save its big 

 round eyes gleaming like phosphorescent fire. Like a flash 

 it seizes its feathered prey and bites off its head before the 

 bird is aware of the presence of danger. Though during 

 daylight the animal lies rolled up in a ball upon a branch, 

 there is no likelihood of it falling ; for the muscles and 

 tendons of the legs automatically contract to grasp the 

 perch. The Slow Loris (Nycticebus tardigradus) is of similar 

 habits. It is known by many names, of which Kukang is a 

 common one ; but Anglo-Indians usually call it Bashful Billy. 



There are also the Galagos, another singular tribe of 

 animals peculiar to Africa. They possess the main charac- 

 teristics of the Lemuroid group, with the addition of large 

 membranous naked ears, the powers of which are remark- 

 ably acute. Their manners are those of monkeys and 

 squirrels; they perch 

 among the foliage of 

 trees, where they pursue 

 their insect food, which 

 they capture with the 

 hand. Like squirrels, 

 they make nests in which SOLE OF FOOT OF GARXETT'S GALAGO. 

 they rear their young ones. 



In zoological collections the Maholi Galago (Plate I. 

 Fig. i), with its delicate woolly fur, is always an interesting 

 captive. It feeds on bread, fruit, and milk, but meal worms 

 afford it special pleasure. So quickly will it snap them up 

 with its forepaws and convey them to its mouth that it 

 is difficult for the eye to follow the movements. 



