THE LEMURS. 



IO S 



and face, to distinguish the animal from any of its relatives. The shoulders and upper 

 part of the back are of a sooty tint, not so black as the head, and fading almost imper- 

 ceptibly into palest brown on the hinder quarters and the limbs. The under parts of 

 the body are very light gray, nearly white. The paws are nearly black. The tail is 

 tawny at its commencement, but gradually changes its color by the admixture of lighter 

 hairs, until at its tip it is nearly white, although with a slight golden tinge. 



The hair of the tail is not so long as that of the body, which is long and rather silky 

 in texture with the exception of the fur about the lower end of the spine, which has a 

 slight woolliness to the touch. As may be seen from the engraving, the thumbs of the 



PROPITHECE, OR DIADEM LEMUR. -Proptthecus Diadem. 



hinder paws are large in proportion, and suited for taking a firm grasp of any object to 

 which the animal may cling ; while the corresponding members of the fore-paws are not 

 so largely developed, but yet can be used with some freedom. The face of the Propithece 

 is not so long as that of the true Lemurs, and the round tipped ears are hidden in the 

 bushy hair which surrounds the head. The length of the animal, exclusively of the tail, 

 is about twenty-one inches, and the length of the tail is about four inches less. 



Resembling the Lemurs in many respects, and given to similar customs, the animals 

 which are known by the name of Loris are distinguished from the Lemurs by several 

 peculiarities of structure. 



