122 



THE GENESIS OF SPECIES. 



[CHAP. 



ual modification. Thus all naturalists now admit that cer- 

 tain animals, which were at one time supposed to be con- 

 necting links between groups, belong altogether to one 

 group, and not at all to the other. For example, the aye- 

 aye 28 (Chiromys Madagascar iensis) was till lately con- 

 sidered to be allied to the squirrels, and was often classed 

 with them in the rodent order, principally on account of its 

 dentition ; at the same time that its affinities to the lemurs 

 and apes were admitted. The thorough investigation into 



THE AYE-ATE. 



its anatomy that has now been made, demonstrates that it 

 has no more essential affinity to rodents than any other le- 

 murine creature has. 



28 This animal belongs to the order Primates, which includes man, 

 the apes, and the lemurs. The lemurs are the lower kinds of the order, 

 and differ much from the apes. They have their headquarters in the 

 Island of Madagascar. The aye-aye is a lemur, but it differs singularly 

 from all its congeners, and still more from all apes. In its dentition it 

 strongly approximates to the rodent (rat, squirrel, and guinea-pig) order, 

 as it has two cutting teeth above, and two below, growing from perma- 

 nent pulps, and in the adult condition has no canines. 



