122 



THE GENESIS OF SPECIES. 



[ClIAI-. 



ual moclification. Thus all naturalists now admit that cer- 

 tain animals, wliich 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*" (Chiromys Madaya^carleiisis) was till lately con- 

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

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

 dentition"; at the same time that its ailinities to the lemurs 

 and apes were admitted. The thorough investigation into 



TllE AVE-AYE. 



its anatomy that has now been made, demonstrates that it 

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

 murine crc-tture has. 



'^ This animal belongs to the order Primates, which includes man, 

 the apes, and tlie lemurs. The leumrs arc the lower kinds of the onler, 

 and difler much from the apes. Tlioy have their lieud(|uarters in the 

 Island of Madagascar. The aye-aye is a lennir, but it diil'crs singularly 

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

 strongly apjjroximates to the rodent (rat, iifjuirrel, and guinea-i)ig) order, 

 as it has two cutting teeth al)ove, and two below, giowing from perma- 

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



