2o6 



LEMURS. 



smaller, and are partly concealed by the fur, as is shown in our figure of the head 

 of one of the species. Their skin is of a deep black ; but the general colour of the 

 fur is usually white, more or less tinged with yellow, and, in some indi\iiluals, 

 passing into red or even black. The fur on the breast is alwaj's much thinner 

 than that of other parts of the body. 



Three species of the genus are recognised, which are restricted to different 

 parts of the island ; but of these species there are se\eral more or less cUstinct 

 races, which are likewise confined to particular localities. It has been observed 

 that while those individuals of the several species wliich tend to assume a black 

 coloration are found in the damper parts of the island, those which are most com- 

 pletely white frequent the drier regions at the northern extremity of Madagascar. 

 The sifakas, as Grandidier observes, live in bands of from six to eight 

 individuals. They are completely diurnal in their habits, and may be observed at 



morning and evening, when the heat is not 

 too great, leaping in tlie forests from tree 

 to tree in search of food. At sunrise they 

 may often be seen sitting on the horizontal 

 bough of a tree, close to M'here it branches 

 off fi-om the main stem, with their long legs 

 bent, so as to touch their chin, and their 

 hands resting on their knees. At other 

 times they will be seen sitting in the same 

 position, but with their arms extended, so as 

 to receive the genial warmth from the 

 rising sun on their bodie.s. During the heat 

 of the day they conceal themselves in the 

 depths of the foliage. When sleeping, they 

 incline the head forwards on the chest, and 

 cover it with their arms: at the same time the tail is either curled up .spirally 

 between the legs, or allowed to hang straight down. 



Their shelving lower front teeth are admirably adapted for removing part 

 of the rind of the fruits on which they so largely subsi.st, and thus making an 

 aperture through which the pulp is removed piecemeal. The skins of the finiits are 

 always rejected ; and it is stated that sifakas exhibit a marked preference for 

 gi-een rather tlian ripe fruit. 



In all ways thej^ are admirably adapted for a purely arboreal life. So 

 strong indeed are their hind limbs that thej'^ can readily take leaps of from ten 

 to eleven yards in passing from bough to tough ; and so rapid are their motions 

 that Granditlier speaks of them as appearing to fly rather than leap. On the 

 rare occasions when they descend from their favourite trees, they advance by 

 means of long leaps, as o^ving to the shortness of their anns it is not easy for them 

 to walk on the ground on all-fours like the majoi-ity of monkeys. To see them, 

 observes Gran<Iidier (from whom the whole of tliis account is taken), resting on 

 their himl feet, and at eacli leap throwing up tlieir arms in the air, the spectator 

 might be led to think for a moment that lie was looking at children at play. 

 Indeed, a troop of these creatures ad\ancing across the plains in the manner 



UEAD ov VEUKEACx's siFAKA. — After Grandidier. 



