LORIS. 



229 



it takes the form of a transverse slit. The ears are short, rounded, and partly 

 buried in the fui- ; and are, thus, very different from those of tlie galagos. The 

 hind-limbs are only slightly longer than the others. With the exception of the 

 muzzle and the hands and feet, the whole of the body is covered witli a thick coat 

 of very close and somewhat long woolly fur. 



There is a considerable amount of variation in the colour of different local 

 races of this species, although in all cases there is a dark stripe running down the 

 middle of the back, sometimes extending on to the head. In the more common and 

 larger variety, the colour of the fur is asliy-grey above, tending to become silvery 

 along the sides of the back, the under-parts being lighter, and the rump often 

 having a tinge of red. The stripe on the back is chestnut-coloured, and stops short 

 at the hinder part of the crown of the head. The eyes are, however, surrounded 

 by dark rims ; between wliich is the white streak extending upwards from the nose. 

 The ears, together with a small surrounding area, are brown. 



In another, and generally smaller variety, the hue of the upper-parts has a 

 distinct tinge of red mingling with the grey : while the stripe on the back is wider, 

 and often of a full brown colour; but, instead of stopping short at the back of the 

 crown of the head, this band widens out into a large brown patch on the crown, 

 which embraces the ears. The eyes, however, although surroinided by brown 

 rings, are not connected with the patch on the head ])y a dark-coloui-ed area. 

 There is yet a third variety of this creature, found in Tenasseriui, in wliich the 

 general colour 'is pale rufescent, while the dark stripe on the back, in.stead of 

 expanding on the crown of the head, merely splits into a fork, of which each 

 prong joins the dai-k ring round the eyes. 



The slow loris is found over a large area in the countries lying to the east- 

 ward of the Bay of Bengal. It occurs on the north-east frontier of India in the 

 provinces of Sylhet and Assam, whence it extends southwards into Burma, 

 Tenasserim, and the Malay Peninsula ; while it is also f(jund in Siani and Cochin 

 China, and the islands of Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. 



„ ^.^ Its food consists of leaves and younf^ shoots of trees, as well as 



Habits. . ... „ . . 



fruits, various kinds of insects, birds, and their eggs. It has been 



observed to stand nearly erect upon its feet, and from this advantageous position 



pounce upon an insect. It is generally silent, although sometimes uttering a low 



crackling sound ; but when enraged, and especially if about to bite, it gives a kind 



of fierce growl. Mr. Blanford, ijuoting from notes by Colonel Tickell, observes that 



this animal is tolerably com n 1011 in the Tenasserim provinces and Arakaii; but, being 



strictly nocturnal in its habits, is seldom seen. It inhabits the densest forests, and 



never by choice leaves the trees. Its movements are .slow, but it climbs readily, 



and grasps with great tenacity. If placed on the ground, it can proceed, if 



frightened, in a wavering kind of trot, the limbs placed at right angles. It sleeps 



rolled up in a ball, its head and hands buried between its thighs, and wakes up at 



the dusk of evening to commence its nocturnal rambles. The female bears but one 



young at a time. Many accounts have been published of the habits of the slow 



loris in confinement. One of the best of the earlier of these is from the pen of Sir 



William Jones, who had one of these animals as a pet in Calcutta. All observers 



are agreed that, while these creatures are apt to be fierce when first captured. 



