446 HISTORY OF 



hands and feet, as in its snout, and in the glossy qualities of its 

 hair. It is about the size of a squirrel j and appears to be a 

 tame, harmless little animal. 



those by whom it is fed and protected, and allows them to stroke it on tha 

 head and throat, appearing to take pleasure in their caresses. 



In feeding it commonly seizes its food with both hands, and then coasigiw 

 it to one, sitting- upright on its haunches and generally suspended by its 

 hinder paws to eat it. When a small live animal is placed within its reach, 

 it relaxes its hold with its fore paws, and i?eizing its victim with more rapi. 

 dity than might be expected from its ordinary habits, destroys it with 

 much dexterity, and soon deposits the carcase in its stomach devouring 

 the bones as well as the flesh, but rejecting the feathers of birds which it 

 previously plucks off. It is probable that in a state of nature it lives almost 

 wholly upon the trees, prowling abroad at night, and preying upon sleeping 

 birds, insects and mice, which it approaches unawares and seizes before 

 they are sufficiently roused to notice its proximity ; they would otherwise 

 readily make their escape from an animal so tardy in its motions. When it 

 fails in procuring these, it may have recourse to fruits, on which alone it 

 thrives very well in captivity. 



The Lemurs are all natives of Madagascar and of one or two smaller is- 

 lands in its neighbourhood. We know but little of their habits in a 

 state of nature, but they are said to live in large bands upon the 

 trees feeding principally upon fruits ; and this conformation renders 

 this account extremely probable. They are almost equally agile with 

 the monkeys ; but are much more gentle and peaceable in their disposi- 

 tions. In captivity they are generally good-tempered, but do not usually 

 exhibit much playfulness or intelligence. After a time they become fami- 

 liar with those who have the care of them, towards whom they will some- 

 times evince a considerable degree of affection. Fruits and roots form the 

 principal part of their nutriment ; but dressed meat or even raw fish ad. 

 pear to be no unwelcome additions to tiieir vegetable diet. Notwithstand- 

 ing the thickness of their coats they are extremely cliilly, and are very fond 

 of basking in the sun or crouching by the fireside. In walking or heaping 

 they usually raise their long bushy tails above the level of their backs ; but 

 »vhen at rest they either suffer them to hang down, or coil them around 

 their bodies to retain the warmth. 



In the red Lemur the general colour of the upper surface of the body is 

 of a bright rufous brown, and that of the under parts of a deep black. The 

 former includes the sides of the face, the ears, the back and sides, and the 

 outer surface of the limbs ; the latter, the forehead, the naked face itself, 

 the throat, breast, and abdomen, the inside of the limbs, and the entire 

 feet with the exception of a narrow stripe of white passing across the up 

 per surface of the hinder ones. Tlie tail is perfectly black throughout. A 

 large oval patch of white occupies the back of the neck, extending from 

 behind the ears to between the shoulders, and separating the black of the 

 head from the red of the back. Upwards of a dozen species of lemurs have 

 been described, but their differences have not yet been satisfactorily uscer- 

 tiiiied 



