THE LEMURS. 



95 



In habits it is similar to the Lemurs which have already been described. Being naturally 

 a nocturnal animal, it passes the day in a drowsy somnolence, its head pushed between its 

 le°-s, and the long, bushy tail wrapped" round its body, as if to exclude the light and retain the 

 heat. Should it be accustomed to be fed during the daytime, it shakes off its slumber for the 

 purpose of satisfying the calls of hunger ; but even though urged by so strong an inducement, 

 it awakes with lingering reluctance, and sinks to sleep again as soon as the demands of its 

 appetite are satisfied. Its entire length is nearly three feet, of which the tail occupies about 

 twenty inches. Its height is about a foot. 



The curious animal which is known by the name of the Diadem Lemur, is generally 

 thought to belong quite as much, if not more, to the Indris than to the Lemurs, and has, there- 

 fore been placed by Mr. Bennett in a separate genus, which he names Propithecus. 



PROPITHECE, OR DIADEM VE.WVR.— Propithecus diadema. 



The name of Diadem Lemur is given to this creature on account of the white semi-lunar 

 stripe which runs across the forehead ; the curve being just the opposite to the crescent on the 

 head of the Diana monkey, and therefore assuming the shape of a diadem. This white stripe 

 is very conspicuous, and serves by its bold contrast with the black head and face, to distin- 

 guish the animal from any of its relatives. The shoulders and upper part of the back are of 

 a sooty tint, not so black as the head, and fading almost imperceptibly into palest brown on 

 the hinder quarters and the limbs. The under parts of the body are very light gray, nearly 

 white. The paws are nearly black. The tail is tawny at its commencement, but gradually 

 changes its color by the admixture of lighter hairs, until at its tip it is nearly white, although 

 with a slight golden tinge. 



The hair of the tail is not so long as that of the body, which is long and rather silky in 

 texture, with the exception of the fur about the lower end of the spine, which has a slight 

 woolliness to the touch. As may be seen from the engraving, the thumbs of the hinder paws 



