238 LEMURS. 



THE TARSIER (Tarsius spectrum). 



Takes the first of its Latin names from the elongation of the bones of the upper 

 part of the ankle (tarsus), after the manner we have noticed as occurring in 

 the mouse-lemurs and galagos, and its second from its spectre-like and ghostly 

 appearance. It is a native of various islands in the Malayan region, being found, 

 among others^ in Celebes, Sumatra, Borneo, the Philippines, and some others. It 

 has never, we believe, been exhibited alive in this country, and since accounts at 

 first hand from those who have seen animals in their native countries are always 

 valuable, we commence our notice of this animal by quoting from Dr. Guillemard, 

 who received a living specimen while at Celebes, and, in his Cruise of the Marchesa, 

 writes as follows : " The most interesting addition to our menagerie was a tiny 

 lemuroid animal (T. spectrum), brought to us by a native, by whom it was said to 

 have been caught upon the mainland. These little creatures, which are of arboreal 

 and nocturnal habits, are about the size of a small rat, and are covered with 

 remarkably thick fur, which is very soft. The tail is long, and covered with hair 

 at the root and tip, while the middle portion of it is nearly bare. The eyes are 

 enormous, and indeed seem, together with the equally large ears, to constitute the 

 greater part of the face, for the jaw and nose are very small, and the latter is set 

 on, like that of a pug dog, almost at a right angle. The hind-limb at once attracts 

 attention from the great length of the tarsal [ankle] bones, and the hand is equally 

 noticeable for its length, the curious claws with which it is provided, and the 

 extraordinary disc-shaped palps on the palmar surface of the fingers, which 

 probably enables the animal to retain its hold in almost any position. This weird- 

 looking creature we were unable to keep long in captivity, for we could not get it 

 to eat the cockroaches which were almost the only food with which we could 

 supply it. It remained still by day in its darkened cage, but at night, especially 

 if disturbed, it would spring vertically upwards in an odd mechanical manner, not 

 unlike the hopping of a flea. On the third day it found a grave in a pickle-bottle." 



If we add that the general colour of the fur is usually some shade of brownish- 

 fawn, with the face and forehead reddish, and a dark ring round the enormous 

 eyes, the above account gives a very good idea of the general appearance of the 

 tarsier, 1 the length of whose body is about 6 inches. This account does not, 

 however, show us any reasons why this animal should be separated from the 

 typical lemurs as the representative of a separate family ; and we must therefore 

 proceed to the consideration of this point. 



Now, the elongation of the bones of the upper half of the ankle evidently 

 allies the tarsier to the galagos and mouse-lemurs ; and if the other characters of the 

 animal approximated to them there would be no reason why it should not be 

 included in the family. It happens, however, that there are very important differ- 

 ences connected with the teeth, and it is on these zoologists largely rely in assigning 

 the tarsier to a distinct family. In describing the teeth of the lemurs it has 

 been shown that the middle pair of incisors in the upper jaw are separated from 

 one another by an intervening space, and it may be added here that they are of 

 small size. If, however, we examine the skull of a tarsier, we shall find that these 



1 In Dr. Guillemard's figure, reproduced on p. 244, the ears are longer than in our heading. 



