56 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



THE SLOW LEMURS 



THE few species of this group are also found outside Madagascar ; the Potto and 

 Awantibo (Perodicticus potto and P. calabarensis) in West Africa, and the Slow 

 Loris (Nycticebus tardigradus) in Eastern Asia. They are slow-moving, omnivo- 

 rous, nocturnal animals, about as big as Guinea-pigs, and much like miniature Bears 

 in shape ; the Slow Loris has no tail, and the other two very short ones. In these 

 African forms, too, the forefinger is reduced to a mere stump. The Slender Loris 

 (Loris gracilis) of South India and Ceylon, is a little tailless creature about as big 

 as a Rat, with huge eyes and peculiarly slender limbs, painfully like those of a 

 human being when wasted by disease or privation. All have been frequently kept 

 in captivity. 



Two Lemur-like animals, the Tarsier and the Aye-aye, are so distinct from all 

 the rest, that each is put in a family of its own. 



THE TARSIER 



THIS extraordinary little animal (Tarsius spectrum) is found in the East Indies 

 from Sumatra to the Philippines, and is nocturnal and insectivorous. It is barely 

 as big as a Rat, with large eyes and ears and a small pointed snout. Its tail 

 is long and bare, though tufted at the end, and its body-fur thick. The feet 

 are peculiarly long from hock to toes, and the tips of these and the fingers are 

 expanded as in Tree-frogs ; like these creatures, also, the Tarsier hops about 

 the trees by means of its powerful hind-legs. It seems never to have been 

 brought to Europe alive. 



THE AYE-AYE 



THE Aye-aye (Chiromys madagascariensis) is the most remarkable in appearance 

 of all its tribe, and would certainly not be taken for a Lemur at first sight. It 

 is as big as a Cat, dark-brown in colour, with a long bushy tail, and all its fingers 

 and toes are clawed, except the great toe, which has a nail. The middle finger 

 of the hand is as thin as a wire, and the creature uses this to clean itself with, 

 and also for a pick and probe in seeking wood-boring grubs. It gnaws down 

 to the tunnels of these with its powerful teeth, which are just like those of 

 rodents, the incisors being only two in each jaw, enamel-faced and continually 

 growing, while, as in rodents, there are no canines. The first set of teeth, 

 however, are more like those of other Lemurs. Besides insects, the Aye-aye 

 feeds on fruit. It is a nocturnal animal, regarded with superstitious fear by the 

 inhabitants of Madagascar, where alone it is found ; but nevertheless a good many 

 specimens have reached Europe, especially of late years, and several have been 

 exhibited in the London Zoological Gardens, where the habits of this strange 

 creature were carefully studied by the late Mr. A. Bartlett. 



