CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 2. QUADRUMANA, 



117 





galagos — (Seep. 118.) 



THE LEMUES, CHEIEOMYS, &c. 



Under this head we shall notice several very curious animals, as the Loris, Galago, Tarsier, 

 Indri, Maki, and Cheirogale, all of which may be considered as Lemurs, with the Cheiromys 

 or Aye-Aye, and the Galeopithec or Flying Lemur. These are dissimilar in certain respects, 

 yet they all possess characteristics which entitle them to a place next the monkeys — viz., they 

 are all four-handed, and have thumbs on their hinder feet, opposable to the fingers. The greater 

 part of them are confined to Madagascar ; some live in Africa, and some in India and the adja- 

 cent islands. None are found either in Europe or America. 



Genus LORIS : Loris. — Of this genus there are two species — one called the Slender Loris, 

 Loris gracilis, and the other the Lazy Loris, Loris tardigradus. These are small animals, about 

 the size of the ouistiti, and covered with hair. The legs are rather short, the head rounded, the 

 ears small and covered with hair, and the face long and pointed. They have no external trace ot 

 a tail. Their movements are peculiarly awkward, slow, and cautious, resembling those of the cha- 

 meleon : they live on trees, and are nocturnal in their habits, feeding on fruits, mice, insects, 

 small birds, and eggs. Specimens have been taken to Europe, where they appeared to be gentle, 

 inoffensive, and rather intelligent. They are often described under the name of Slow Lemurs, or 

 Slow-paced Lemurs. 



The Slender Loris is about a foot in length, of a russet color, with a white band on the face 

 and nose. It is found in the island of Ceylon and the adjacent parts of the continent. The Lazy 

 Loris is somewhat larger and more robust than the preceding. It is covered with long, coarse, 

 woolly hair, of a reddish tinge on the upper parts of the body, with a line of brown running along 

 the back. Each of the eyes is surrounded by a ring of dirty black. It is a native of Sumatra, 

 Java, and Borneo, and perhaps of Bengal. It is sometimes called the Poucan. 



Genus PERODICTICUS.— Of this, ranged by some authors with the galagos, there is but a 

 single species, the Potto, Perodicticus potto. It has greatly puzzled the naturalists, as it seems 

 to partake of several nearly allied species. It is a native of Africa, in the country around Sierra 

 Leone, where it is called the Bush-dog. It is smaller than a cat, being only ten inches long. It 



