48 



LEMTJEIDiE. 



Fur very close, soft, and rather woolly ; ears thin, rounded, naked 

 towards the edge, of moderate size, considerably larger and more 

 conspicuous than in the slow Loris. 



Colour. Dark earthy grey, more or less rufescent above and on the 

 outside of the limbs, often with a silvery wash. Dorsal fur 

 whitish (occasionally ashy near the skin), with a blackish I'ing near 

 the end and white tips. Lower parts much paler. Some speci- 

 mens of the young are much more rufous, almost ferruginous. A 

 narrow white stripe between the eyes expanding into a broader 

 area on the forehead ; sides of face, including the eyes, darker. 



Dimensions. Length of head and body about 8 inches, arm 5, 

 leg 5-6. Skull of an adult 2 inches long from occiput to end of 

 nasal bones, which project beyond the premaxillaries ; basal length 

 1*5; breadth 1"25 across the orbits, 1*2 across the zygomatic 

 arches. 



Distribution, Southern India and Ceylon, in the lowland forests, 

 not, so far as is known, at any considerable elevation above the sea. 

 This species does not appear to have been recorded as far north as 

 the Godavari valley. It may probably be found on the West coast 

 of India, in the Southern Concan, near Ratnagiri, but even this is 

 not clearly ascertained. According to Jerdon, it appears to be 

 rare on the Malabar coast, but common in the forests of the 

 " Eastern Ghats " (probably the hills south of the Ivistna river). 



Habits. Very similar to those of Nt/cticebus tardir/rachts, except 

 that the slender Loris is rather quicker in its movements, though still 

 slow in general. Like its ally, it is purely nocturnal and arboreal ; 

 living upon shoots and young leaves, insects, birds' eggs, birds, and 

 lizards. It is said to be very fond of honey or syrup. It sleeps 

 rolled up in a ball with its head between its legs, grasping its perch 

 with its arms. 



According to Jerdon, numbers are occasionally brought to the 

 Madras market. The eyes are a faAourite remedy of the Tamul 

 doctors for certain eve-diseases. 



