1862.) MR. A. D. BARTLETT ON THE LIVING AYE-AYE, 223 
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, 
and any thick, sweet, glutinous fluid, rejecting meal-worms, grass- 
hoppers, the larvee of wasps, and all similar objects. Consequently 
I am inclined to think that this animal is not insectivorous. Its large 
and powerful teeth lead me to infer that it may possibly wound trees, 
and cause them to discharge their juices into the cavity made by its 
teeth ; and that upon this fluid it probably feeds.. This appears to 
me the more likely, as I observe that our specimen returns frequently 
to the same spot on the tree which she had previously injured. Iam 
also strengthened in my opinion by noticing the little attention paid 
by the animal to its food. It does not watch or look after it; for I 
have on several occasions removed the vessel containing its food du- 
ring the time the animal was feeding, and the creature continued to 
thrust its hand forward, as before, upon the same spot—though 
after a while, finding no more food, she discontinued, and moved off 
to search for more elsewhere. This apparently stupid act is so unlike 
the habits of an animal intended to capture or feed on living crea- 
tures that I am inclined to believe that the Aye-aye feeds upon in- 
animate substances. I have frequently seen it eat a portion of the 
bark and wood after taking a quantity of the fluid food. 
The excrement of this animal much resembles the dung of small 
rabbits, being in separate nearly round balls. 
