90 MAMMALIA — LEMUR. 



One of these animals is described by the late Sir William Jones, in the 

 fourth volume of the Asiatic Researches. "In his manners," says he, "he 

 was for the most part gentle, except in the cold season, when his temper 

 seems wholly changed ; and his Creator who made him so sensible of cold, 

 to which he must often have been exposed, even in his native forests, gave 

 him, probably for that reason, his thick fur ; which we rarely see on animals 

 in these tropical climates. To me, who not only constantly fed him, but 

 bathed him twice a Aveek in water accommodated to the seasons, and whom 

 he clearly distinguished from others, he was at all times grateful ; but when 

 I disturbed him in winter, he was usually indignant, and seemed to reproach 

 me with the uneasiness Avhich he felt, though no possible precautions had 

 been omitted to keep him in a proper degree of warmth. At all times he 

 was pleased at being stroked on the head and throat, and he frequently 

 suffered me to touch his extremely sharp teeth : but his temper was always 

 quick; and when he was unseasonably disturbed, he expressed a little re- 

 sentment, by an obscure murmur, like that of a squirrel ; or a greater degree 

 of displeasure by a peevish cry, especially in winter, when he was often as 

 fierce, on being much importuned, as any beast of the woods. 



" From half an hour after sunrise to half an hour before sunset, he slept 

 without intermission, rolled up like a hedgehog; and, as soon as he awoke, 

 he began to prepare himself for the labors of his approaching day, licking 

 and dressing himself like a cat ; an operation which the flexibility of his 

 neck and limbs enabled him to perform very completely : he was then ready 

 for a slight breakfast, after which he commonly took a short nap ; but 

 when the sun was quite set, he recovered all his vivacity. 



" His ordinary food was the sweet fruit of this country ; plantains always, 

 and mangoes during the season ; but he refused peaches, and was not fond 

 of mulberries, or even of guiavas : milk he lapped eagerly, but was content 

 with plain water. In general, he was not voracious, but he never appeared 

 satiated with grasshoppers ; and passed the whole night, while the hot 

 season lasted, in prowling for them. When a grasshopper, or any insect, 

 alighted within his reach, his eyes, which he fixed on his prey, glowed with 

 uncommon fire; and having drawn himself back, to spring on it Avith greater 

 force, he seized the prey with both his fore paws, but held it in one of tliem 

 while he devoured it. For other purposes, and sometimes even for that 

 of holding his food, he used all his paws indifferently as hands, and frequent- 

 ly grasped with one of them the higher parts of his ample cage, while his 

 three others Avere severally engaged at the bottom of it ; but the posture 

 of which he seemed fondest, was to cling with all four of them to the wires, 

 his body being inverted. In the evening, he usually stood erect for many 

 minutes, playing on the wires Avith his fingers, and rapidly moving his body 

 from side to side, as if he had found the utility of exercise in his unnatural 

 state of confinement. 



