GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS. 203 



those of a monkey. In all the latter,, whether they be thin-nosed like the Old 

 World kinds, or broad-nosed like those of America, the nostrils are always more 

 or less rounded in form, and thus approach to the human type. In lemurs, on 

 the other hand, the nostrils are always in the form of a curved slit, widest 

 above, and with the convexity directed outwardly, as is well shown in the figure 

 on p. 20(3. The nostrils of a lemur are in fact almost precisely similar to those 

 of a dog or a cat, and we have in this another proof of a relatively low zoological 

 position. 



In the lemurs proper, the first point to be noticed is that the upper front, or 

 incisor teeth are always two in number on either side of the jaw, and that the 

 middle pair are separated from one another by a distinct gap. The upper premolar 

 teeth may be either two, as in the Old World monkeys, or three, as in their cousins, 

 of the New World : the molars being invariably three in number. The front 

 teeth in the lower jaw, together with the one corresponding to the tusk, or canine, 

 always shelve forwards, and are of small size. This small size and shelving 

 direction of the lower tusk renders it necessary that some other tooth should be 

 enlarged so as to bite against the upper tusk. And we accordingly find that the 

 first premolar in the lower jaw takes on the form and size of a tusk, and bites 

 against the true tusk, or canine tooth of the upper jaw. It has been mentioned 

 in the introductory chapter that whereas true tusks, or canines, have usually 

 but a single root, premolar teeth nearly always have two roots, except when there 

 are four of these teeth, in which case the first generally has but one root. Now 

 the tusk-like lower premolar of the lemurs has the usual two roots, and hence we 

 have a ready means of distinguishing a lemur's skull from that of most other 

 Mammals ; that is to say, by the lower tusk having two distinct roots. 



The last feature we shall mention as being distinctive of the lemurs proper, is 

 that, with the exception of the second toe of the foot, all the fingers and all the toes 

 have well-formed flattened nails like those of the majority of monkeys. 



THE IXDRI LEMUR. 

 Genus Indris. 



The peculiar-looking animal represented in the illustration on the next page is 

 one of the numerous lemurs from Madagascar, and occupies the proud position of 

 being the largest member of the entire group. It is likewise the sole representative 

 of its genus ; and in scientific parlance is designated Indris brevicaudata, its second 

 title referring to its apology for a tail. The name indri, or indris, is a corruption 

 from the native name Endrina, used in certain districts by the inhabitants of 

 Madagascar for this animal. In other districts it is, however, designated Babakoto, 

 or " little old man." 



The indri is the first of a group of three genera, restricted to Madagascar, 

 which present certain characteristics in common not found in other lemurs. Among 

 these characters the most obvious is the large proportionate size of the legs as com- 

 pared with the arms. Another is, that with the exception of the great toe (which 



