FAMILY L E M U E I D JE. THE LEMURS. 



The following animals belong to this division : The Pencilled Oustitis 

 (H. Pencillatus) ; the White-headed Oustiti (H. Leucocephalus) ; the 

 Hairy-eared Oustiti (H. Auritus) ; and the White-shouldered Oustiti (H. 

 Humeralifer) all natives of Brazil. 



2. Of the Oustitis with tails not ringed, we have the Black-tailed (H. 

 Melanurus), and the Fair, or Silvery Monkey (H. Argentius) natives of the 

 banks of the Amazon river. The general colour of the latter (Plate 2) is 

 white, glistening, and silvery ; face, hands, and feet red ; tail black. 



3. The Oustitis with large ears include the Tamary of Guiana (H. Rufi- 

 inanus), the Black (H. Ursula), the White-lipped (H. Labiatus), the Yellow- 

 faced (H. Chrysomelas), the Leonine (H. Leoninus), the Red-tailed (H. 



(Edipus), and the Silky Tamary (H. Rosalius) all natives of South 

 America. The last-named is given on Plate 2. Its characteristics are 

 face dull purple, and surrounded by long, bright, bay-coloured hairs, which 

 turn backwards, and give it somewhat the resemblance of a lion's coun- 

 tenance, whence it is frequently called the Lion-faced Monkey ; the hair on 

 the body very long, of a silky texture, and bright yellow colour ; hands 

 and feet dull purple ; tail rather bushy at the tip. Native of Brazil. 



CERCOPITHECUS Monkey. This genus is one of those into which the 

 genus Simla of Linnaeus has been divided ; it comprehends such animals as 

 have cheek pouches, which are merely the cavities in the mouth, between the 

 cheeks and the teeth, very much enlarged ; into these the Monkey crams its 

 food, and will dispose of large quantities in that manner before it begins to 

 masticate. Upon the rump are two callous substances, which are generally 

 bare, on which the animal sits. They are fructivorous, live in troops, and 

 make great havoc in gardens and fields ; are easily tamed, but are very 

 mischievous. Their agility is such, that they will leap with the greatest 

 certainty from tree to tree, though burdened with their young clinging at 

 their backs. The negroes believe that they are a vagabond race of men 

 who are too idle to work. In many parts of India they are worshipped ; 

 and at Amadabad, the capital of Guzerat, there are hospitals for their 

 accommodation. 



The various species of this genus are the Red (C. Ruber), the White 

 Eye-lid (C. jEthiops), the Green (C. Sabaeus), the Malbrouc (C. Faunus), 

 the Varied (C. Mona), the Spotted (C. Diana), the Mustache (C. Cephus), 

 the Vaulting (C. Petaurista), the White-nosed (C. Nictitans), and the Co- 

 chin China-Monkey (C. NemaBus). 



The last-named species, together with the S. Nictitans of Linnaeus, and 

 the Petite Cynocephale of Buflfon, are formed into a new genus by Illiger, 

 under the title of Lasiopyga, in consequence of the rump being covered 

 with hair instead of having callosities ; but Ouvier seems in doubt whether 

 the callosities have not been rubbed off when the animal was stuffed, and 

 therefore does not think there are sufficient grounds to establish the 

 genus. 



HYLOBATES the Gibbons, This genus is distinguished from other Apes 

 by the enormous length of the arms, in consequence of which the fingers 

 touch the ground when the animal stands upright. 



The Great Gibbon (H. Lar) is about four feet high ; the body long and 

 slender ; the head round ; head, neck, back, sides of the body and legs 

 black ; a narrow circle of grey hairs surrounding the face ; ocular region, 

 nose, and extremities of both jaws, brown and naked ; upper part of the 

 feet grey, soles black. Native of India. 



The species known as the Petit Gibbon of Daubenton, is probably a 

 variety of the Great Gibbon. 



The Ash-coloured Gibbon (H. Leuciscus), a native of the Moluccas and 

 the Isles of Sunda, is as high as the Great Gibbon, while its arms are some- 

 what longer. The Siomany of the Malays (H. Syndactylus) is not more 

 than three feet in height, and, in colour, is entirely jet black ; the hair long 

 and soft, and forming a shaggy fleece ; it is remarkable for having the fore 

 and middle toes of the hind feet connected by membranes, as far as the 

 middle of the second phalanx, and two loose naked folds of skin on the 

 throat, which Sir S. Raffles says he has seen occasionally inflated with air. 

 They are numerous in the woods about Bencoolen, which they make re-echo 

 with their peculiar loud cry. 



NYCTIPITHECUS Nocturnal Apes. This genus is the same as that named 

 improperly by Humboldt, Aotus, as in neither species are the auricles either 

 deficient or small. In appearance and gesture, the Nyctipithed much re- 

 semble cats, and hence Buffon has called them Singes du nuit a face de Chat. 

 They are entirely nocturnal, for which their large sparkling eyes admirably 

 adapt them, but they cannot bear the light. Fred. Cuvier has named the 

 genus Nocthora. They are natives of South America. They form the 

 link between the Monkeys and Lemurs, and occupy, in the new world, the 

 place of the Stenopes in the old world. 



The principal species are the Brown Douroucouli (N. Vociferans), and 

 the Black-tailed Douroucouli (N. Felinus). The former measures about 

 seventeen inches long from the nose to the origin of the tail, which is more 

 than a foot in length. It is found in the forests of Solimoens, near Tabaturga 

 and Mainas ; it is very timid and coy, and remarkably delicate in its habits, 

 and much resembles the Tarsiers and Bats of Madagascar. The latter, 

 which is found in the neighbourhood of the capital of Para, is seventeen 

 inches from the nose to the root of the tail ; its visage is very similar to 

 that of a cat ; the eyes are large and red ; the ears are oblong and naked ; 

 the body slender, the fur covering its upper surface very close, deep ash- 

 colour at the tip, ferruginous and black at the base ; under part of the 

 body, lower part of the thighs, and upper arms hairy, and inclining to 

 ferruginous ; tail, which is fourteen inches long, is almost entirely black, 

 except at its root, where it is rusty-grey above, and ferruginous beneath. 



Family 2. LEMURS; Lemuridce. 



The family Lemuridce (Night-prowlers) is distinguished from that of the 

 Simiaida family by the elongation of their snout, and their participation, in 

 a much greater degree, of the form and habits of quadrupeds. 



ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES. 



PLATE 3. 

 Genera. Species. Common Name. 



Lemur ----- Catta ------ Ring-tailed Macauco. 



Lichanatos - - - Madagastariensis - - Short-tailed Indri. 



Stenops - - - - Tardigradus - - - - Bengal Lori. 



Otolicnus - - - - Senegalensis - - - - Senegal Galago. 



f Daubontonii - ... Daubenton's Tarsier. 



iBaneanus ----- Young of the former. 



Tarsius 



CHARACTERS OF THE GENERA. 



1. LEMUR. Upper incisive teeth four, two on a side, separated by a 

 gap in the middle; lower six inclined obliquely forwards; cuspid teeth 

 distinct, flattened laterally, hook-like ; molar six on each side above, five on 

 each side below, the anterior single-pointed, the hinder three having four 

 points; nose sharp; face hairy; the eyes directed forwards; ears short 

 and rounded ; tail long and hairy ; two pectoral mammae ; tarsus shorter 

 than the leg ; feet five-toed, the fourth of the hind foot longest ; thumb- 

 nails flat and broad, that of the posterior index-finger claw-like and subu- 

 late ; hair soft and woolly. 



2. LICHANOTUS (Gr. Xi-^avot, the Index-finger). Incisive teeth in each jaw 

 four, inclined forwards, those above placed in pairs ; cuspid teeth distinct ; 

 molar five on each side in each jaw, their crowns studded with blunt 

 tubercles; the anterior two or false molar triangular, compressed and 

 pointed ; muzzle sharp ; face hairy ; eyes looking forwards ; ears short 

 and rounded; tail short; tarsus shorter than the tibia; feet five-toed; 

 nails of the thumbs flat, those of the fingers regular, except that of the 

 index of the hind-foot, which is slightly clawed. 



3. STENOPS (Gr. m-tvot, narrow, and wif/, a face). Incisive teeth above 

 four in pairs, with an intermediate gap, below six inclined forwards ; cuspid 

 long and conical ; molar above six on each side, below five, the anterior single 

 pointed ; face hairy ; muzzle sharp and compressed ; auricles short and 

 rounded ; eyes large, close set, and looking forwards ; four pectoral teats ; 

 tarsus rather shorter than the leg ; feet five-toed ; nails flat, excepting that 



