356 



BACKBONED ANIMALS. 



Sub-order I. Prosimiae. Lemurs (Lemuroidea). 

 The lemurs are the lowest of the primates, a group of beau- 

 tiful animals ranging in size from a cat to a good-sized 

 monkey (Fig. 376). The entire body is covered with hair, 

 and even the face in some. The head is small and fox- 

 like, the skull small, narrow in front, and flattened ; the 

 ears are conspicuous and often tufted. They are gregari* 

 ous, and diurnal in their habits, rarely leaving the tree- 

 tops, among which they leap with the greatest agility. 

 They are found in Madagascar, southern and eastern Asia 

 and Africa. Fossil remains of lemurs have been found in 

 North America. 



FlG. 3760 i, the aye-aye ; 2, lemur in the forests of Madagascar. 



Aye-aye (Chiromyida). These interesting animals 

 (Fig. 376) are found in Madagascar, and are remarkable for 

 their enormous compressed, curved, incisor teeth ? that have 



