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 week 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 which he felt, though no possible precautions had 
been omitted to keep him ina 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 Jabors of Azs 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; bu: 
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 1efused 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 with greater 
force, he seized the prey with both his fore paws, but held it in one of them 
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 were 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 with 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. 
