ORDER QUADRUMANA. 32& 



tire tail, are of an uniform grayish fawn-colour. The un- 

 der part of the lower jaw, the throat, under part of the 

 neck, the sides of its upper part, the breast, the internal 

 face of the arms, the belly, fyc, are white. The hands and 

 face are flesh-coloured, between the two eyes, there is a 

 longitudinal white spot, bordered on each side with a 

 little black. There is no difference between the males and 

 females. 



The Dwarf Lemur, described by F. Cuvier, used to pass 

 the whole day in a nest of hay, rolled up in a ball, in the 

 most profound slumber. But the moment night commenced, 

 he would sally from his retreat and pass the time in a state 

 of action until morning. It was then he used to sit, satisfy 

 all his wants, and play. Few animals jump with more 

 liveliness and activity. He would traverse his cage with 

 a rapidity similar to the flight of a bird, and leap vertically 

 from the ground to an elevation of six or eight feet. Fruit, 

 bread and biscuits, were his usual food. The nocturnal 

 life of this species is in accordance with the extreme sensi- 

 bility of their eyes to the light. The little which remained 

 during the night seemed quite sufficient for their purpose ; 

 that they see at this time every object distinctly, is evident 

 from the fact of two of them having escaped from their 

 cage, traversed the quarter in which they were enclosed, and 

 which was filled with a crowd of other cages and animals, and 

 re-entered by the little hole through which they had come 

 forth. This they did without suffering the least accident, 

 though the most profound darkness reigned in the place, 

 all the shutters being closed. 



The ordinary length of the dwarf lemur from tail to 

 occiput, may be about ten or eleven inches, and the height 

 to the shoulders about six. 



This Lemur seems to be what Buffon calls the Madagas- 

 car rat, and which in scientific catalogues has received the 

 name of " Lemur Murinus." Brown in his illustrations 



