V 



46 THE AYE-AYE 



structure. The animal, although apparently not scarce, is 

 difficult to obtain, as it comes out from its retreat only at night ; 

 besides which, the forest people have a superstitious fear of it, 

 so that even a large reward is often insufficient to induce them 

 to attempt its capture. 



The aye-aye is included among the four-handed animals, but 

 it is very unlike the monkeys, having a smaller brain and much 

 less intelligence ; and from its powerful teeth it was at first 

 thought to be a link between them and the rodentia, or gnawing 

 animals. Its structure presents some of the most interesting 

 illustrations of typical forms, being modified to serve special 

 ends that any animal organisation can exemplify. The food 

 of the aye-aye consists of a wood-boring larvae, which tunnels 

 into the wood of certain trees. To obtain these, the animal 

 is furnished with most powerful chisel-shaped incisor teeth, with 

 which it cuts away the outer bark. As, however, the grub 

 retreats to the end of its hole, one of the fingers of the aye-aye's 

 hands is slightly lengthened, but much diminished in thickness, 

 and is finished with a hook-like claw. Thus provided, the 

 finger is used as a probe, inserted in the tunnel, and the dainty 

 morsel drawn forth from its hiding-place. There are also other 

 modifications, all tending to the more perfect accomplishment 

 of the purposes of its creation : tb&^eLbeHig-ve^r^aTge- 



in the night, the ears widely expanded to catch the faint sound 

 of the grub at work, and the thumbs of the feet largely developed 

 so as to enable the animal to take a firm hold of the tree while 

 using its teeth. 



Since then, living specimens of the aye-aye have been sent to 

 Europe, and careful observations were made for several months 

 on the habits of one in the Regent's Park Gardens ; and other 

 information has been obtained as to the animal as observed in 

 its native forests by intelligent natives. The creature some- 

 what resembles, a .large cat in size, being about three feet in 

 total length, of which its large bushy tail forms quite half. Its 

 colour is dark brown, the throat being yellowish-grey ; a some- 

 what silvery look is given to the fur in certain lights by many 

 whitish hairs on the back. The probe finger is used as a scoop 

 when the aye-aye drinks ; it is carried so rapidly from the 

 water to the mouth that the liquid seems to pass in a continual 

 stream. A remarkable fact has been pointed out in the structure 



