THE TARSIER. 



109 



LITTLE GALAQO. Galago Minor. 



MOHOLl.Oalago Moholl. 



other soft substances for the purpose. In this lofty cradle the young are nurtured 

 until they are of an age to provide for themselves. 



The face is full of expression, in which it is aided by the large and prominent ears ; 

 and the creature is said to contract its countenance into strange grimaces, after the 

 fashion of the ordinary monkeys. Like the monkeys, too, it can leap for some little 

 distance, and springs from one branch to another, or from tree to tree with agility and 

 precision. The Moholi Galago is an inhabitant of Southern Africa, having been 

 found by Dr. Smith hopping about the branches of the trees that bordered the Lim- 

 popo river, in twenty five degrees of south latitude. 



At first sight, there is some external 

 resemblance between the Galago and the 

 little animal which is figured in the accom- 

 panying engraving. The ears, however, 

 are not so large as those of the Galago, 

 and the tail is less thickly covered with 

 fur, being almost devoid of hair, except 

 at its extremity, where it forms a small 

 tuft. On reference to the figure, it will 

 be seen that the hands are of extraor- 

 dinary length, in proportion to the size 

 of the creature. This peculiarity is 

 caused by a considerable elongation of 

 the bones composing the " Tarsus," or 

 back of the hands and feet, and has 

 earned for the animal the title of TAR- 

 SIER. This peculiarity is more strongly 

 developed in the hinder than in the 

 fore-paws. 



The color of the Tarsier is a grayish- 

 brown, with slight olive tint washed over 

 the body. A stripe of deeper color sur- 

 rounds the back of the head, and the 

 face and forehead are of a warmer 

 brown than the body and limbs. It is 

 a native of Borneo, Celebes, the Philippine Islands, and Banca. From the lattel 

 locality it is sometimes called the Banca Tarsier. Another of the titled by which 

 it is known, is the Podji. 



T A RSI ER. Tarstus Spectrum. 



