ON NOCTURNAL ANIMALS. 329 
been kept at the Regent's Park Gardens. Visitors seldom see a 
specimen; for, like the Slow Loris (Nycticebus), it cuddles up 
during the day time and seeks shelter in its box. When poked 
it seems bewildered by the light, and the eyes present the 
dazed appearance common to the Nocturnal Lemuroids. Like 
the latter day-sleepers, it brisks up at sunset, and then is 
active, when all other of the monkey tribe slumber. In general 
anatomical structure it resembles the Cebide; but the molar 
teeth are tuberculate; the iris has great power of expansion and 
contraction, the great round pupil at night giving quite a different 
expression to its contracted diurnal aspect; and lastly, the palms 
of the fore feet exhibit more tactile properties than is common to 
the generality of the monkeys. Functionally, therefore, eye and 
finger-tips, or sight and touch, have become extremely sensitive 
to impressions, by a change in the minute tissues of a very limited 
kind; but they are just sufficient, along with the slight dental 
cusps, to effect a radical change adapted to night habit and 
insectivorous food. In the dark virgin forests, the Doroucoulis 
after nightfall nimbly lay hold of small birds and chase the 
spiders, beetles, cockroaches, and other nocturnal insects—even 
bats they are said to devour—though they by no means despise 
sugar-cane, fruit and nuts. In the Zoological Gardens it is 
difficult to rouse the creature during the day; but Mr. Bates says 
that in the Amazons they are aroused by the least noise, so that 
when a person passes by a tree on which a number of them are 
concealed he is startled by the sudden apparition of a group 
of little striped faces crowding a hole in the trunk. 
Thus true Apes and Monkeys (Quadrwmana), with the single 
exception of the South American genus above mentioned, 
are in the full swing of their ceaseless activities and eccentric 
pranks in broad daylight. Just before sunset, when in the forest, 
one occasionally hears a chattering noisy lot either settling 
friendly differences or having a final “scrimmage” ere repose, 
but no sooner has gloom spread than all is hushed. Even in our 
Zoological Gardens, where the creatures feel secure from night 
attack, their silence then is in marked contrast to their com- 
panions, the Lemurs. Some monkeys when in their native haunt 
are astir at grey dawn, and in bands make for the nearest 
plantations, commit ravages, and scamper off before the sun has 
got well up in the horizon. Man has then his part to play; and 
20 
