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 larvse 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. I am 

 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. 



