MAMMALIA. 493 



the forests, suspended like bats from the branches, -with the head downwards, 

 and chnging bj their hind cUiws. Thej are active at night, and traverse 

 the trees in all directions, sweeping from one to another with great address 

 in search of their food, which consists of fruit, eggs, birds, &c. The flying 

 lemur {G. m/us or volans) is represented on pi. ill, fig. 1. 



Fam. 3. Lemurid^e (Prosimice or viakis). The animals Avhich compose 

 this family have, like the monkeys, opposable thumbs on both pairs of 

 extremities. The number and form of the teeth are very variable. The 

 general form of the body is slender and elongated ; the head pointed and 

 somewhat fox-like. The nostrils terminate at the end of the snout, which 

 is sharp, naked, and somewhat pointed. The ej^es are large, as in all 

 nocturnal animals. The lirst and sometimes the two first fingers of the 

 hind feet are terminated by a long curved claw, a character which at once 

 distinguishes the lemurs from the other Quadrumana. The tail varies in 

 length ; sometimes it is large, and sometimes nearly absent ; never prehen- 

 sile. The teeth are more adapted to an animal diet than in the typical 

 Quadrumana ; and they show great address in seizing their food, as well as 

 courage in defending themselves when attacked. The hind limbs greatly 

 exceed the anterior ones in length, and make of these animals agile leapers. 

 The greatest number, however, are active onl}^ during night, spendii^g the 

 whole day in sleep, and always secluding themselves from the light, which 

 seems painful to them. 



Animals belonging to this family are not known in a fossil state. 



The genus Lemur (makis) includes those species which have been called 

 fox-nosed monkej's, on account of their pointed head. The ears are very 

 small. Their food consists of fruit. The species are numerous and only 

 met with in Madagascar, where they replace the monkeys, none of which 

 are found there. One of them (Z. macaco) is represented in pi. 117, fig. 12. 

 Another, L. pusillus {fig. 11), is the type of the genus Microcebus of some 

 authors. 



The genus Lichanotus (indris) resembles Lemur, but instead of six 

 molars in the lower jaw, it has only four of them. A species {L. indri) 

 deprived of a tail, and three feet high, is tamed by the inhabitants of 

 Madagascar. 



The genus Stenops (loris), the species of which are called the lazy mon- 

 keys, have teeth like the lemur, except the molars, the points of which are 

 more acute. The snout is short, the body slender, the tail absent, the eyes 

 large, and the tongue rough. They feed on insects, and occasionally on 

 small birds and quadrupeds. Their gait is excessively slow ; their habits 

 are nocturnal. The species inhabit the East Indies. 



The genus Otolicnus (galago) has the teeth and insectivorous habits of 

 the preceding genus. The tarsi are elongated, and produce a di.sproportion 

 in the dimensions of the hind feet. The tail is long and tufted : the ears 

 large and membranous; the eyes very great. The species are African, 

 one of which (0. senegalensis) is represented on pi. Ill, fig. 10. 



The genus Tarsius has an elongated tarsus, and all other details of form 

 belonging to the preceding genus ; but the space between the molars and 



697 



