THE AYE-AYE. 



in 



expected in a creature so entirely nocturnal in its habits. The movements of e Aye- 

 aye are slow and deliberate, though not so sluggish as those of the Loris. It is not a 

 very small animal, measuring almost a yard in total length, of which the tail occupies 

 one moiety. 



On a review of this and the Lemurine monkeys, it can hardly fail to strike the ob- 

 server that there must be something very strange in the climate or position of Mada- 

 gascarperhaps in both that forbids the usual quadrumanous forms, and produces in 

 their stead the Lemurs, the Indris, and the Aye-aye. So very little is known of this 

 important island, that it may be the home of hitherto unknown forms of animal life, 

 which, when brought under the observation of competent naturalists, would fill up sun- 

 dry blanks that exist in the present list of known animals, and afford, in their own 

 persons, the clue to many interesting subjects which are now buried in mystery. 



AYE-AYE. Chelromys Madagascarleasls. 



The strange animal which is known by the name of the FLYING LEMUR, or COLUGO, 

 presents a singular resemblance to the large bat which is popularly called the Flying 

 Fox, and evidently affords an intermediate link of transition between the four-handed 

 and the wing-handed mammals. 



By means of the largely-developed membrane which connects the limbs with each 

 other, and the hinder limbs with the tail, the Colugo is enabled to leap through very 

 great distances, and to pass from one bough to another with ease, although they maybe 

 situated so far apart that no power of leaping could achieve the feat. This membrane 

 is a prolongation of the natural skin, and is covered with hair on the upper side as 

 thickly as any part of the body, but beneath it is almost naked. When the creature 

 desires to make one of its long sweeping leaps, it spreads its limbs as widely as possi- 

 ble, and thus converts itself into a kind of living kite, as is shown in the figure. By thus 

 presenting a large surface to the air, it can be supported in its passage between the 

 branches, and is said to be able to vary its course slightly by the movement of its arms. 



When the animal is walking or climbing about among the branches, the wide mem- 

 brane is folded so closely to the body, that it might escape the observation of an 



