124 MARVELS OF THE ANIMAL WORLD 



once again, when he was promptly made a prisoner. 



For other examples of the monkey family which 

 construct nests, we must turn our attention to 

 those ranking as the lowest of the family, for, 

 curiously enough, none of the intermediate types 

 follow the example of the aforementioned man- 

 like apes in their nest-building habits. Of the 

 large group of creatures known as lemurs, which 

 claim kinship with the typical monkeys, certain 

 species, called mouse-lemurs, make nests amidst 

 the branches of the trees wherein they dwell during 

 the daytime. Coquerel's mouse-lemur constructs 

 a domicile composed of twigs, leaves, and grasses, 

 and measuring about eighteen inches across ; and 

 the dwarf mouse-lemur, which claims the distinction 

 of being the smallest of its kind, and only attains 

 to a length of four inches, exclusive of its tail 

 which adds another six inches to the total, makes 

 use of hair for the purpose of lining its nest. 



Some of the mouse-lemurs undergo a period of 

 aestivation, and lie dormant during the hottest 

 time of the year. Before commencing their long 

 sleep the creatures feed up and prepare themselves 

 for their long fast ; the amount of fat they thereby 

 add to their bodies being mainly stored up at the 

 root of their tails, which become swollen to an 

 abnormal degree. The fat is gradually absorbed 

 into the animal's system during the time it remains 

 dormant. 



The galagos, near relatives of the lemurs, also 

 make nests, although it is believed that only the 

 smaller kinds resort to the practice. Of the various 



