286 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



lu 1904, Lydekker (I.e.) separated the Ceylon and Mainland forms, on 

 colour differences, and four years later Cabrera (I.e.) gave the name 

 lydekkerianus to the Madras form. The mounted specimen, mentioned by 

 Lydekker, is the only one from Ceylon available to us for examination, so 

 that unless, and until, a series from Ceylon is obtained to show that the 

 colour differences, relied on by Lydekker are not constant, the name we 

 have here used must stand for the Madras Slender Loris, and all the 

 names mentioned above except those in the synonymy, must be relegated 

 to the synonymy of the Ceylon Slender Loris." — R. C. W. 



" Pupils vertical and almost perpendicular. The upper points inclining 

 slightly inwards, in a strong light they contract, to a very small size. At 

 night when the piipils are fully expanded they shine with a very bright 

 golden-copper light. Irides bright chestnut ; bare skin on snout deep 

 reddish flesh colour ; insides of ears bright yellow. All of these specimens 

 were kept alive for various lengths of time ; in some respects they showed 

 very little intelligence and if irritated one would generally make for and 

 bite its nearest neighbour ; some that were kept in a small room if teased 

 would even walk across to the other side in order to attack another that 

 might be in an other corner ; while an angry female would even vent 

 its rage on its own young, which would chatter and bite back 

 but never let go its hold. Even when first caught they do not appear 

 much frightened, and if carefully handled, would seldom attempt to bite 

 unless their faces were touched. When in a cage, dogs would occasionally 

 come up and bark at them, when they would get up close to the wires of 

 the cage and growl back apparently without any fear whatever. If 

 watched closely they would generally crawl away, or, if in a tree, attempt 

 to conceal themselves among the leaves, or if that were impossible, they 

 would occasionally hide their faces between their forepaws, which was 

 their usual position when asleep ; on account of this habit, it has got its 

 Hindustani name Sherminda (shy animal). 



When in a tree, especially among foliage, they bear a striking 

 resemblance to the spotted owlet [Athene brama), which was very plentiful 

 in the district, and they have the owl-like habit of swaying their heads 

 from side to side, besides the noise they make, especially when fighting, 

 is almost identical to the screech of this owl, except that it is perhaps not 

 quite so loud. The only other sounds I have heard them make is a faint 

 chattering noise rather like that of a monkey, and a kind of low growl 

 that is uttered when irritated. The young, even when three parts 

 grown, would cling by day to the female so tightly that she would 

 often appear half suffocated. The pale, silky appearance of the 

 fur on the hind parts of the females is probably due to the constant cling- 

 ing on of the young ; at other times it is probably similar in appearance 

 to that of the males. Several females were found carrying two young, so 

 that two at a birth are probably quite usual. If placed on a branch, three, 

 or four feet from the ground, they would occasionally drop to the ground, 

 but were quite incapable of jumping even the shortest distance from one 

 branch to another. They have a very strong power of grip, and when 

 caught would grab at anything within reach. Although their movements 

 were as a rule slow and deliberate, they were much less so, than those of 

 Nycticebus, and at night when on the ground they could run about at qute 

 a respectable pace, displaying a considerable amount of cunning in trylin 

 to escape or hide away when they were not being watched ; their move- 

 ments on the ground being exactly like those of a monkey when walking 

 slowly. They must frequently travel considerable distances on the 

 ground, as they must have done to have existed around Kolar, where most 

 of the trees have been planted, while there are large stretches of quite 



