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LEMURS. 



THE GALAGOS, OR AFRICAN LEMURS. 

 Genus Galago. 



The galagos are the only long-tailed lemurs found throughout the length and 

 breadth of Africa. The name is said to be that by which one of the species is 

 known to the natives of Senegal. They resemble the mouse-lemurs in having the 

 bones of the upper half of the ankle greatly elongated, and thus have the same 

 lengthy foot. Although some are much bigger, there are others quite as small 

 as the smaller mouse-lemurs. There is, however, a readily recognised external 



THE GREAT GALAGO (J nat. size). 



character by which a galago can be at once distinguished from a mouse-lemur. 

 This consists in the large size of the ears, which are quite bare, and have the- 

 unique peculiarity that they can be partially folded upon themselves at such times 

 as their owners please, so as to lie nearly flat upon the sides of the head. This 

 may be for the purpose of protecting these delicate organs when passing through 

 thick foliage, especially if wet. 



This distinctive peculiarity of the ears is, of course, sufficient to enable us 

 at once to separate a galago from a mouse-lemur ; and, indeed, from every other 

 kind of lemur. Zoologists are, however, by no means satisfied with distinguishing 

 animals merely by external characters ; and they have succeeded in finding a feature 

 in the teeth by which a galago differs markedly from a mouse-lemur, although, 



