Mr. A. D. Bartlett on the Living Aye-aye. 73 



the neck, extending to the lower part of the body, have white points ; 

 these white points are thickest above, and become less numerous 

 towards the limbs and tail, which appear quite black ; the hairs of 

 the tail, however, are white or grey at the roots (this can only be 

 observed by separating them) ; the chin and throat are dirty white, 

 which colour extends over the chest ; the short hairs on the face are 

 a mixture of dirty grey and white ; the long hairs are black ; the 

 eyes light brown, surrounded by dark-coloured hairs ; the nose and 

 muzzle are of a dirty flesh-colour ; the lips pink ; the ears, shining 

 black, and naked, but thickly studded with small protuberances ; the 

 feet and toes are sooty black, with the under surface and claws 

 lighter, inclining to flesh-colour. The situation of the mammae is 

 remarkable : they are two in number, and placed at the lowest part 

 of the abdomen (the animal differing in this respect entirely from the 

 Lemurs and Bats, the teats of which are on the breast). 



The Aye -aye sleeps during the day ; and the body is then gene- 

 rally curved round and lying on its side, the tail is spread out and 

 flattened over it, so that the head and body of the animal are almost 

 entirely covered by the tail. 



It is only at night that the Aye-aye exhibits any activity. I hear 

 her crawling about and gnawing the timber when, to me, all is per- 

 fectly dark ; and I have been surprised to find that upon the intro- 

 duction of a light, directed to the face of the animal, she does not 

 exhibit any signs of uneasiness, but stretches out her arm and tries 

 to touch the lamp with her long fingers. She frequently hangs by 

 her hind legs, and in this position cleans and combs out her large 

 tail, using the slender hook-like third finger with great rapidity, re- 

 minding one strongly of the movements of the large Bats {Pteropus). 

 This skeleton-like finger is used with great address in cleaning her 

 face and picking the corners of the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and other 

 parts of her body ; during these operations the other fingers are fre- 

 quently partially closed. 



In feeding, the left hand only is used, although she has the full 

 use of her right one. The mode of taking her food requires careful 

 attention, in consequence of the very rapid movement of the hand 

 during the process. The fourth finger (which is the longest and 

 largest) is thrust forward into the food, the slender third finger is 

 raised upwards and backwards above the rest, while the first finger 

 or thumb is lowered so as to be seen below and behind the chin ; in 

 this position the hand is drawn backwards and forwards rapidly, the 

 inner side of the fourth finger passing between the lips, the head of 

 the animal being held sideways, thus depositing the food in the 

 mouth at each movement ; the tongue, jaws, and lips are kept in full 

 motion all the time. Sometimes the animal will advance towards 

 and lap from the dish like a cat, but this is unusual. I have never 

 heard her utter any cry, or produce any vocal sound, during the many 

 hours at night in which I have watched her habits, nor has she ap- 

 peared shy or angry at my presence. 



With reference to food, this creature exhibits no inclination to take 

 any kind of insects, but feeds freely on a mixture of milk, honey, eggs. 



